I Am His, He Is Mine
by yoursxforever
Summary: Every king needs his queen. After her family dies and she and her sister get separated, Ava finds herself in Winterfell, where she meets Robb Stark. Their affection for each other grows quickly, but war is upon them and winter is coming. Will their love survive a terrible tragedy that rips them apart? Robb/OC
1. Chapter 1

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

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**Prologue**

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I couldn't feel my fingers. It was as if they were frozen all the way through, ready to break off with the slightest movement. I desperately tried to warm them with the warmth of my breath, breathing against my hands, but I didn't feel any warmth. A panicked sob escaped my lips as I tried with all my might to warm my fingers, crossing my arms and stuffing my hands underneath my armpits.

A loud snap, probably a twig or branch, was audible behind me and I immediately turned around, my eyes rapidly scanning my surroundings. All I could see was snow and trees. Nobody else was there. My breath was shallow, partially because I had panicked a little before, but the sound had intensified the feeling, making me even more on edge.

Another loud snap filled my ears, again behind me, so I turned back to where I had initially been looking. There was still nobody in sight and a nasty feeling settled in my gut. Someone was here.

''Robb?'' I said, barely a whisper as the word escaped my lips. I knew it wasn't him. It couldn't be him. I tried not to dwell on my thoughts on him, because I was certain that I would break down right there and then if I did.

Footsteps, making the snow crunch underneath the weight of a person, behind me. I turned around again, and this time my eyes focused on a person. My eyes widened as I saw who it was, and I opened my mouth to scream, but before I had the chance, I was silenced and everything turned black.

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**One**

* * *

I slowly approached the wolf, which was larger than I'd ever seen. It was bigger than a man, that much was obvious. It was dead too, otherwise I would have turned around and ran as soon as I saw it. It laid on the ground next to a narrow river, antlers sticking from its neck, which undoubtedly came from the stag that had killed her. At her side were five small pups, maybe two months old at most. I looked down at them pitifully, the feeling of understanding filling me. I had lost my mother too, recently. But I didn't need her in order to survive. These pups would die if they didn't have a mother to take care of them.

I knelt down and stroked the fur of one of them. It was trying to drink from their mother, but they had probably drank all of the milk by now. Maybe I could take one of them with me, save one of them. But how would I feed it? I could hardly even feed myself, let alone a wolf pup.

''What to do with you…'' I sighed in a whisper, even though I knew that they would probably starve if they didn't die before that. Was I able to put them out of their misery? I had never killed a wolf before, let alone a pup. It would be much easier, yes, but my heart warmed at the sight of the fluffy animals, which were still very harmless at this age.

I took a deep sigh and reached for the dagger on my belt, when I heard voices approaching me. I looked up, my eyes fixing on the spot it was coming from, which was over a small hill a few meters away. I quickly got up and ran in the other direction, but didn't go far. I hid behind a bush which was thick enough to conceal me, and I made sure I could see the wolf and her pups. Not more than a minute after I had hidden behind the bush, a group of men came in sight. I didn't recognize them, which wasn't a surprise, since I was a long way from home.

''It's a freak!'' one of the younger men said, referring to the large beast.

''It's a direwolf,'' an older man with dark blond hair told him, who had knelt next to the wolf. It was quiet for a while, and the man removed the antlers from the wolf's neck, saying something about waste.

''There are no direwolves south of the wall,'' a young, auburn haired man said.

''Now there are five,'' a third young man, with black hair, added as he picked one of the pups up and held it out to probably the youngest of the men, which was actually no more than a boy.

''Want to hold it?''

The boy didn't get a chance to answer when the pup was already pushed in his arms, and he wrapped his cloak around the baby wolf.

''Where will they go? Their mother is dead,'' the boy asked, concern in his voice.

''They don't belong here,'' a man with grey hair said,

''Better a quick death, they're at loss without their mother,'' the man who had knelt besides it said, to which the man who had called the direwolf a freak, pulled a dagger and walked over to the boy.

''Right, let me see it,'' he said, taking the pup from the boy's arms, holding it by the scruff of it's neck.

''No!'' the boy exclaimed.

''Put away your blade,'' the auburn haired man said.

''I take orders from your father, not you,'' the other one said, not putting the little wolf down.

''Please father,'' the boy said to the dark blond haired man, whom looked at the boy and lightly shook his head.

''I'm sorry, Bran,'' he said.

''Lord Stark,'' the black haired man interrupted, ''there are five pups. One for each of the Stark children. The direwolf is the sigil of your house. They were meant to have them.''

The man seemed to think about it for a couple of seconds, before looking down at his young son.

''You will train them yourselves. You will feed them yourselves. And if they die, you will bury them yourselves.''

The boy's face lit up and he took the wolf back from the man who had wanted to kill them, and the other three young men picked up the remaining four pups.

''What about you?'' the boy asked the black haired man, whom looked down at him.

''I'm not a Stark. Get on,'' he said, pointing the boy back in the direction they had come from, and followed the other ones. They started walking back, when he stopped next to a tree.

''What is it?'' the man with the red-brown hair asked him, turning back. The last man picked up a sixth pup who had been hiding, one with fur as white as a sky in December and red eyes.

''That one's yours, Snow.''

The men continued walking and soon they were out of view. I had heard of the Starks. Eddard Stark was the lord of Winterfell. They were wealthy people. Maybe if I followed them, I would be able to sneak in and find shelter in the stables. It would beat sleeping out in the open. I slowly moved away from my hiding place and followed the group of men, keeping them in sight but staying at a safe distance. I had no idea how they would react to outsiders.

My heart sank when I saw what I assumed was Winterfell: a large castle, completely surrounded by a high stone wall. There was no way I was going to get inside unless I used the wooden gates, and in that case, I would be seen. I hesitated before I made a decision. There was a chance that they didn't like strangers one bit, and that I would be taken prisoner or worse. But if I didn't try, I could freeze to death overnight. It got colder and colder with each night I spent outside, and it wouldn't be long until my clothes wouldn't suffice anymore.

I decided to risk it and walked across the large, open field to the gates of Winterfell. When I approached the gates, one of the guards put his hand on the handle of his sword and took a step forward.

''Hold it. Who are you?'' the man asked with a burly voice. I came to a halt and gulped.

''My name is Ava Brown…I-I'm looking for shelter,'' I stammered, not thinking of a better excuse than the truth. I hoped that if they didn't let strangers in, they'd at least tell me to leave, rather than locking me up or slitting my throat. You never knew.

''D'you have gold? Can you pay for your stay?'' he asked, and I could hear that I wouldn't be able to talk around it.

''No…'' I simply said.

''Then you can't sleep anywhere.''

''I can work! Please, I-''

''Get lost. No coin, no bed.''

My heart sank into my stomach and I was about to turn around, when someone's voice stopped me.

''What's going on here?''

It was the dark blond man, whom I identified as Eddard Stark.

''My lord. She asked for a place to sleep, but she has no means of payment. She can't afford a bed to stay in,'' the guard told him. I swallowed hard and kept my head down, fearing I'd tremble in my shoes if I looked at the lord.

''What's your name, child?''

''Ava. Brown,'' I said, slowly looking up out of politeness.

''Where do you come from?'' he asked me.

''The Westerlands…'' I answered.

He didn't answer for a while and I averted my eyes to the ground, growing uncomfortable. If it took this long to think about my words, that couldn't mean anything good.

''You must be cold in this part of the lands. Can you cook? Sow?''

I quickly looked up and nodded.

''I cooked in my village, and I learned how to sow,'' I told him, which was true. I always used to cook, since my mother had been ill for a long time. I used to cook for eight people; my mother, father, and five younger siblings. One by one, they had fallen ill and died, leaving my younger sister and mother for last. When mother died, my sister and I ran into… trouble, got split up, and months later, I wound up in the North, far away from people who were looking for me.

''Good… you can keep my daughters company, you look as if you're only a little bit older than my eldest. You'll work for a bed and food.''

I followed the lord when he turned and walked back into the village, a smile on my face that I couldn't seem to wipe off. I had never expected this to happen, out of everything. I had counted on brick for a bed, straw in an empty stable if I were lucky. But a bed? A proper roof over my head? Food? That was way more than I had hoped for.

''Thank you, my lord,'' I said after I remembered to thank him for his hospitality, half walking half running behind the man, barely keeping up with his quick and large strides.

''Remember, it is not a gift,'' he said, but I could see the hint of a smile on his face.

''Of course, my lord,'' I assured him as we entered the large building in which I imagined he lived. He walked me through a few corridors, until he stopped at a wooden door and knocked.

''Sansa?'' he said, and after a couple of moments the door opened. A girl, a few years younger with me, with hair a beautiful shade of red and bright blue eyes stepped into view and looked at me, smiling slightly.

''Sansa, this is Ava. She'll be working here. Repairing clothes, keeping you and your sister company when needed… would you be so kind to show her around so she can get accustomed to our home?'' lord Stark asked her, and Sansa's smile widened.

''Are you going to live here? There aren't many girls my age around here, though you must be a few years older than me,'' she said enthusiastically, and I smiled back.

''I am, thanks to your father's hospitality. And I am sixteen,'' I answered.

''I'll leave you to it then,'' lord Stark said before walking off to whatever business he had to attend to.

''How old are you, milady?'' I asked, remembering that even though Sansa seemed to treat me like a friend, I still worked for her and her family.

''I'm thirteen. It is almost my name-day, though,'' she said, pulling the door closed behind her. ''Shall we?''

Sansa mostly showed me around the castle, ending at the square in the middle of the grounds.

''This castle is… huge,'' I said with a chuckle, amazement well present in my voice.

''You think so? Where do you come from?'' she asked me.

''A small village in the Westerlands. We didn't have anything close to a castle,'' I admitted. We had lived in a small house, if you could even call it that, since it was one big room. We ate there, we slept there, we bathed there. There was no privacy whatsoever.

''We didn't have any of this…'' I continued, looking around, until my eye fell on a couple of people. It was the boy, the black haired man and the auburn haired man I had seen earlier that day. The youngest, Bran if I remembered correctly, was standing with bow and arrow in hand, the two older males standing on each side of him, giving him advice by the looks of it.

''Nor were we trained to shoot arrows or wield a sword,'' I added, and Sansa followed my gaze.

''Well why would you, you're a girl,'' she said. I chuckled at her words.

''Even if I wasn't a girl, I still wouldn't have been able to learn much. Our village was so small we didn't really have… well, much of anything,'' I admitted. My father and brother knew how to defend themselves with knives, even though my brother fell ill before he had the chance to master it, but they were no swordsmen. Are those lord Stark's sons? Your brothers?'' I asked her, still looking at Bran and the other two men, remembering they had all been in the forest earlier that day.

''Yes, they are. Jon has a different mother,'' she said, nodding her head.

''Which one is that?'' I asked, knowing that bastards weren't exactly looked kindly upon.

''The one with the black hair is Jon, the one with the auburn hair is Robb, and the little one is Bran.''

I nodded and remembered their names. If I was to work in their castle, it would be wise to remember their names as quickly as possible. I wanted to say something to Sansa about that afternoon, how Robb had told the other man not to kill the wolf pup, and how Jon had convinced his father to take the pups home, but I stopped before I did. I would have to explain that I was there, eavesdropping and ducking in the bushes like I had something to hide.

''I should probably show you the rest of the castle. I imagine you'll have to start working today,'' Sansa said, and I looked away from her brothers, at her.

''Yes, of course,'' I said, nodding at her words. I hadn't forgotten that I wasn't there for free, but I didn't mind the work at all. I would have something to do, something to occupy myself with, and in return I got the safety of a home. I couldn't be more thankful for this turn of events.

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_AN: Hello! Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of this fic. I have lots and lots of plans ahead for this story and don't worry, I know this is a Robb/OC story, and this WILL happen, but I like to take things slow and have a nice buildup, which always gets the better results in my opinion! Reviews are welcome and feel free to leave some tips for me :) Thank you!_


	2. Chapter 2

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

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**Two**

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It was incredible how quickly time seemed to pass by. A week had passed in what seemed only one or two days, mostly thanks to Sansa's company. She reminded me so much of my sister: she was a little shy, yet curious and very dreamy. Sansa had so many wishes and dreams, to go to King's Landing, to travel and see all types of climates and cultures in the country. She had a wild imagination and a romantic heart, something I had always loved about my dear sister. Spending time with Sansa helped soothe the pain of losing track of her a little.

When I wasn't with Sansa, I was working. Or rather, it should be the other way around. Lord Stark hadn't been joking when he said that my stay here wasn't for free. I got up early in the morning to work in the kitchen and prepare the first meal of the day, I did work around the castle like washing and repairing clothes, there was always _something_ to do. But as I had expected, I didn't mind at all. It was like building a new life for myself, here at Winterfell. From a small village to a castle, I hadn't done that bad in my opinion.

Next to Sansa, I saw more of Arya than anybody else, but there wasn't as much talking involved. When it came to Arya, it was mostly her testing me. Playing little pranks on me, like emptying a bucket of water over my head from a floor above me, or hiding my shoes. It was innocent child's play, testing the limits, and where some people would have cursed her with every word the Seven Gods had forbidden, I found it rather amusing. She was daring, a real adventurer, and I admired her creativity and courage. She was going to amount to great things.

In my week of staying at Winterfell, I hadn't spoken a word to the male Starks except for Eddard. Not to Rickon, Bran, Robb, or Jon for that matter. It wasn't as if I had been avoiding them, or if they had been avoiding me, but there hadn't been a moment where I had gotten a chance to speak to them, even though I wanted to. I liked all of the Starks, each one of them, and I was eager to know if the whole family was as noble and honorable as the ones I had met were. I hadn't had a lot of moments where I had spoken to Catelyn Stark, and even less with Eddard, but the few times we had shared a conversation, it made me happier and happier that I had unknowingly wandered into their land.

''D'you want to give it a try?'' Arya asked me, and I looked up from the scroll I was holding. I didn't know how to read, and as soon as Arya found out, she had decided she wanted to teach me. It took a bit of practice, and I couldn't read words yet, but in a few days I was able to recognize letters and their corresponding sounds. Now I almost used up all my time learning, eager to learn how to read books and scrolls.

''What…shooting?'' I asked, raising my eyebrows. While I had been focusing on the scroll, Arya was practicing her bow and arrow skills, which were already remarkable. She never missed the round target, and it wasn't often that she missed the bulls-eye.

''Yes, shooting,'' she chuckled as she skipped over to me, took my hand and pulled me up. I chuckled and let her drag me to the spot where she had been standing. She took the piece of paper from my hand and replaced it with the bow, then handed me an arrow. I stood with the two objects in hand, then slowly looked at her.

''…You really don't know what to do with them?'' she asked, a chuckle present in her voice. I chuckled and shook my head.

''I mean, I have seen people shoot before, but I've never paid attention to how it is done exactly.''

''Well, you just put the arrow there, pull back, aim and let go,'' Arya said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

''If you're going to teach her, do it properly, sister,'' someone said, and Arya and I both looked up to see her older brother, Robb, looking at us with his arms folded, an amused smile on his face.

''You do it then, if you're so good at it,'' Ayra said teasingly as she stepped back. Robb walked and stood next to me, looking me up and down. I wasn't sure what he was doing, or if I was supposed to do something, but I did know I became very conscious of my entire appearance. When I had spent my first night in the castle, I was given new clothes – clothes that weren't filthy or ripped – and I was able to take a bath daily now, but the cleanliness of my clothes and hair didn't seem to soothe my nerves. Which brought me to the next point; I was _nervous_. Why?

''Well, get on with it. I can't give you any advice if I don't know how you shoot,'' he said, his choice of words not the most patient ones, but his voice didn't sound hostile, and his face showed that he didn't mean the words harshly.

I put the arrow on the bow like Arya had said, lifted my bow arm and pulled the arrow back. I didn't release the arrow just yet, not knowing if Robb wanted to correct me already. I looked up at him and saw that he was looking at my hands, his lips pursed slightly in thought, before he looked at me and a small grin spread on his lips.

''Try shooting it,'' he said, and I looked at the target ahead of me. I tried aiming, not sure if there was a special way to do that, and when I thought I would at least hit the target, I let go of the arrow. The string of the bow bounced back, hitting my fingers painfully, and the arrow simply flopped to the ground, next to my feet. I heard Arya burst out in laughter, Robb a mere soft chuckle, and I couldn't help but smile and bit my lip, slightly in embarrassment while a blush spread on my cheeks. I really was horrible at this.

''Your form is way off. Here, let me show you,'' Robb said, picking up the arrow and standing on my left side, close behind me. He lifted my bow arm, and slightly bent my elbow so that it wasn't locked the way I had locked it the first time.

''Now load the arrow,'' he said, handing me the long, sharp object, and I did as he said, pulling back the string with the arrow in place. He lifted my elbow so that it was on shoulder height, which I definitely didn't have before. He stood behind me and put both his hands on my shoulders, lightly putting pressure on them.

''Relax your shoulders, they shouldn't do the work, your back should,'' he said, and I let my shoulders relax, making sure not to drop my elbow lower.

''Now aim. Close one eye, look over the arrow and aim right for the center of the circle,'' he said, and I did as he said.

''When you think you've got it, take a breath and release the arrow when you breathe out,'' he finally said, his voice close to my ear. I tried not to let it distract me and aimed for the circle. I took a breath and when I breathed out, released the arrow. It shot through the air and I was already satisfied that it hadn't flopped to the ground again, but my eyes lit up and I smiled widely when I had even managed to hit the target. It wasn't anywhere near the center, on the contrary, it had almost even missed the target, but it was there, in the top of the target, buried deep in the weaved straw. Arya clapped and jumped up from the fence she had been sitting on and I turned to Robb, a wide smile on my face.

''You are a an amazing teacher, thank you,'' I told him, and he nodded with a smile in return.

''Do it again!'' Arya demanded, handing me another arrow, and Robb chuckled, stepping back to the fence, where he leaned against it to watch this time. I went through all the steps Robb had mentioned; relaxed bow arm, relaxed shoulders, the elbow of my shooting arm on shoulder height, aiming with one eye closed, breathing out at the release of the arrow. I let go of the arrow and watched at it, again, flew to the target and barely missed it, grazing the side of the target and bouncing off against the stone wall a couple of meters behind it.

''Keep practicing,'' Robb said and I looked up and nodded at him as he walked away with a smile.

''My turn!'' Arya said, taking the bow from my hand and lightly pushing me out of the way so she could stand there. I smiled at her and went back to the fence I had been sitting on before she made me take a turn. Arya was a fast paced and demanding girl, with little regard for etiquette, but I didn't mind at all. I liked her spirit.

Rather than picking up the scroll and going back to practice my reading again, I found myself looking in the direction Robb had walked off to. I was too focused at the time, but thinking back to when he stood behind me, his face close enough to feel his breath on my ear as he told me how to shoot, I felt something flutter in my stomach. His voice was warm and patient, even though his words might not support it. I knew he couldn't be much older than me, maybe seventeen, or eighteen at most, but he looked, talked and acted like a fully grown young man.

''Ava!'' I heard behind me, and I almost fell off of the fence in surprise. I quickly got off and turned around, seeing Sansa wave me over from the second floor of the castle. I smiled and looked back at Arya, who was so concentrated on her shooting that she probably wouldn't even notice if I told her I was leaving, so I let her be and made my way inside the castle. I walked up the stairs to Sansa's room, where I knocked on the door and entered.

''Milady,'' I said, closing the door behind me.

''Please don't say that, just say Sansa,'' she chuckled, walking away from the window. I smiled and nodded. She had told me before, but I had grown accustomed to calling the Starks ''milord'' and ''milady''.

''My apologies. Can I help you with something?'' I asked, not sure if she just wanted me to keep her company or if there was something I had to do for her.

''You can start by telling me about how you fancy my brother…'' she said, a mischievous smile on her lips. I raised my eyebrows and wanted to say I didn't know what she was talking about, but the blush that appeared on my cheeks already told her I did know.

''I-I…'' I only managed to say, smiling at my own foolishness, and Sansa giggled at my response.

''Come on, I saw you looking at Robb. He's handsome, isn't he?'' she pressed on, and I shook my head, still with a smile, not because I disagreed with her, but because I didn't know what I should say. I wouldn't go as far to say I fancied the eldest Stark son, I barely even knew him. But there definitely was… something.

''Even if I did, what then? It's not like anything will happen. He's a Stark, he'll be… Lord of Winterfell after his father, he's supposed to be with a high born lady and join Houses and… rule the north,'' I said, to Sansa, but also to myself. I had to make sure not to get anything impossible into my head.

''Nonsense. You're as good as any high born lady, you're probably a lot more friendly than they are anyway,'' Sansa disagreed with me.

''Either way, _if_ I fancied him, he'd have to fancy me back for anything to happen,'' I argued, shaking my head, but Sansa shrugged.

''I give it a few weeks, maybe a month or two tops,'' she said confidently. I looked at her and shook my head. Even though Sansa and Arya were very different characters, both girls had an impeccable sense of determination.

As the days turned into weeks, I grew more and more accustomed to the way things went in Winterfell. I didn't see much of Robb, which, I had to admit, I was disappointed about, but I was aware that as the eldest son of Eddard Stark, he had a lot on his plate. On the few occasions that I did run in to him, our conversations were mostly limited to nothing more than a greeting. He'd smile at me and I'd smile back, say hello and that was it. But every time it happened, the smile stayed on my face for hours.

* * *

''Arya!? Where is that little devil,'' I said under my breath, pushing past people in search for the young girl. It would only be moments before the king's arrival in Winterfell and as a Stark, Arya was supposed to be with her family, waiting for their royal guests to arrive, but the youngest Stark girl was nowhere to be found. Catelyn had come to me in a hurry, asking me to find her daughter before the king got there, and that's what I had been doing since.

''Arya!'' I said when I finally spotted the girl, sitting on a carriage as she watched the horses and royalty arrive at the castle. She looked up with a look as if she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't, which was kind of true.

'What in the Gods' names are you doing here, you should be inside, and why are you wearing that thing,'' I said with a chuckle when I saw the helmet she was wearing, which was way too large for her small head. I held out my hand, which she took as she jumped off of the carriage.

''I was just watching,'' she said as we hurried back into the castle and ran out on the square just in time before the guards of the king rode in on their horses. I gave Arya a light push in her back and watched her hurry off to stand in between Sansa and Bran. I remained in between the other staff members of the castle, a smile growing on my face when Eddard stopped Arya to take the helmet off. She really did look silly with that thing on. I saw Catelyn turn around, her eyes scanning the people behind her until our eyes met and she gave me a grateful nod, which I returned with a smile.

Only seconds after that, the courtyard was filled with horses, guards and the royal family, and all eyes were on the king. I had heard a lot about him, but never seen him in person. He wasn't at all like I had imagined. Everybody sunk to one knee and I followed, my head bowed to the ground. After a couple of seconds everyone rose again, and so did I, looking at the king and Eddard, who were now standing face to face. It was quiet for a while, until the king spoke up.

''You've got fat.''

Another moment of silence before the two men burst out in laughter. I had almost laughed myself, but I was wise enough not to. It was funny because the king was no skinny lad himself; quite the contrary, actually. He next greeted Catelyn and Rickon, and spoke some more words to Eddard,before turning to Robb.

''Who have we here? You must be Robb,'' the king, shaking Robb's hand, and Robb nodded. He then greeted Sansa, Arya and Bran, after which he told Eddard to show him to the crypts. The two walked off and Catelyn tended to the queen. Soon, everyone started talking and walking back to where they had been before the king's arrival, and the royal family was escorted inside the castle. I made my way through the crowd to find Sansa, and maybe a little bit to have an excuse to talk to Robb, but when I found the red headed girl, his brother was nowhere in sight.

''Did you see the prince? He's handsome,'' Sansa said, a twinkle in her eyes. I grinned widely, knowing exactly what was on her mind.

''I didn't get a good look at him but I'll take your word for it. Do you think the king and your father want to join Houses?'' I asked her, and I could read in her face that she had been thinking the same thing.

''I don't know. But if they do, that means that I'll be a queen,'' she said in a hushed voice, as if she didn't want to say it out loud, in fear she would jinx it. I chuckled, put my arm around her and started walking to the castle entrance.

''My dear Sansa, if anyone would make a good queen, it is you,'' I said honestly, because I really did believe she would make a good queen.

''I a queen, you lady of Winterfell, I can see a bright future for the kingdom,'' Sansa said, a wide, mischievous grin on her face and I laughed.

''Oh stop it, you,'' I said, my laughter quickly dying when Robb stepped in front of us, his arms crossed and a smile on his face.

''What's so funny, ladies?'' he asked, and I found myself speechless.

''Oh, I was just saying-'' Sansa started, but I lightly elbowed her side before smiling at Robb.

''She just told me that…um…''

''That I wouldn't mind being queen and that I would make sure she'd become the first female hand of the king because I trust her so much,'' Sansa lied, and we gave each other a look. I was very thankful of her right then.

''Hand of the king, hm? That's ambitious. I'd like to see that happening. See you at the feast tonight,'' Robb said, smiling at us, and I could swear his smile grew a bit wider when our eyes met, before he walked off.

''Alright, new rule,'' I said when I was certain Robb was out of earshot, ''no more talking about Robb and I, alright?'' I said, making sure I said his name in a mere whisper in case someone else might hear it.

''I can't promise anything,'' Sansa chuckled in return, and we went inside to prepare for the evening.

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_AN: Hello again! I forgot to mention that this fic will be TV show centered, aside from all the things that I've changed concerning Ava and Robb etc, and even though this fic IS posted in the GOT section and not ASOIAF section, I just wanted to make sure to say it (:. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I assure you that the Robb/Ava will pick up soon enough. Please review with any advice, questions, or just to leave your opinion. Thank you!_


	3. Chapter 3

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

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**Three**

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''D'you think Joffrey will like me? What if he thinks I am ugly?''

''Then he is the stupidest prince that ever lived.''

Sansa, Catelyn and I were in Sansa's chamber, Sansa playing with the hem of her sleeve while Catelyn and I braided her hair. Ever since Sansa had set her eyes on the blond prince, she hadn't been able to stop talking about him. Some might have found it annoying, but I could only understand how she felt. At times I was completely unable to put Robb out of my thoughts, but I knew better than to talk about it. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell Sansa about it, but a part of me didn't completely trust her discretion, no matter how good her intentions were, but also because the castle had ears everywhere, and this was something I didn't want anyone to know. Except Sansa maybe, who apparently had a sixth sense for these things.

''He's so handsome…'' Sansa sighed, and I could see Catelyn tense up next to me. I knew that she didn't like Sansa's affection for the prince at all, since it would mean that Sansa was to leave Winterfell. And to be honest, I didn't like the thought of that either. I had grown close to the girl over the past month, and I would be sad to see her go.

''Hush now, your father hasn't even said yes,'' Catelyn said, and I assumed it wasn't just to keep Sansa's head out of the clouds, but also to calm herself a little bit.

As Sansa got ready with our help, she pleaded and pleaded for her mother to talk her father into accepting the king's offer, which was for Eddard to become hand of the king. All I could think of was '_whatever his decision is, don't let it take Robb away from here_'.

* * *

The feast was loud and cheerful, everyone seeming to be in good spirits. Everyone, except the queen, or so it seemed from where I was sitting. She had a sour look on her face, and Catelyn, whom sat next to her, didn't seem to know how exactly she could make it better. I tore away my gaze from the table and looked at Sansa, who was sitting next to me and was chattering away happily while we were eating.

''I really do hope father says yes,'' she said dreamily, and I nodded, having heard her say that more than ten times this evening, but I was patient enough not to comment on it.

''I think you should go talk to the queen… try to make a good impression on her, it might help. If your father says yes and you are to be the prince's wife, you'd want the queen to like you, right?'' I told Sansa, whose eyes lit up.

''Of course I would. Do you really think I should go and talk to her?''

''Yes, look at her… she looks absolutely miserable up there. You should try and lift her spirits,'' I said, nodding at the table the queen was sitting at. Sansa looked over and gulped. I knew she was nervous about talking to the queen, but she got up anyway and made her way over to the large table. I looked after her, popped a grape in my mouth and looked around the room. I wasn't going to lie, I welcomed the moment of peace now that Sansa wasn't here to talk about Joffrey or King's Landing or becoming queen.

My eye fell on Robb, who was walking to a table, the one that I was sitting at, and I felt something flutter in my stomach. Tonight would be the perfect opportunity to talk to him, now that we were both here, we didn't have things to do and the mood was as uplifting as it was. I had barely gotten up from my seat when Sansa plopped down next to me again. Had I been staring at Robb for that long?

''That was quick… how did it go?'' I asked her, reluctantly sitting down again, my eyes still lingering on Robb, who was now sitting across the table, a few seats to my left , close enough to hear him talk, but not quite close enough to understand the words.

''She asked me if I had bled yet,'' she said promptly, and I looked at her. A small frown was on her eyebrows, and I put my hand on her lower arm.

''That's only a good thing… she wants to know if you're ready to carry a son for the prince,'' I explained, not sure if Sansa was offended by the queen's question or if she didn't get why she had asked it.

''I know, but… I…haven't…'' she said in a hushed voice. ''What if I've made a bad impression, maybe she doesn't want someone who hadn't bled yet and she'll have someone else marry Jof-''

I was going to interrupt her, saying it was nonsense that the queen would have Joffrey marry someone else over that, but before I could, something sticky with a greyish brown colour splattered in Sansa's face, and the red headed girl gasped.

''Arya!'' she exclaimed, her eyes fixing on her younger sister, who was sitting across the table, a little further down, an ecstatic expression on the little girl's face as her attack had worked. I snorted softly but kept my face straight as I quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the goo off of Sansa's face, knowing this wasn't amusing to her.

''It's not funny! She always does this, this is my favourite dress,'' Sansa cried out at the laughter of other people at the table, including Robb. Our eyes met and my face instantly lit up, not able to hide a smile at the sight of him laughing.

''Don't tell me you find this funny, Ava,'' Sansa pleaded, and I quickly looked at her again, raising my eyebrows.

''Oh no, I'm sorry Sansa… I wasn't smiling because of that,'' I explained, wiping the last of the grey substance off of her face and putting the napkin down. I looked over at Arya, whom was getting ready to fire a second shot, but before she could, she was lifted out of her seat by Robb.

''Time for bed,'' Robb said, putting his sister down and gently giving her a push in the back to urge her to the exit. Once again, I couldn't help but to stare at Robb as he guided his sister away from the table, when suddenly, Arya stopped walking, turned around and looked straight at me, causing Robb to turn and look at me as well. I was so taken aback that I dropped the fork I was holding and sat up a little straighter, any hint of a smile that had been on my face before, now gone. What had I done? Why were they suddenly looking at me. I looked around, but nobody else seemed to have their eyes on me, just the two of them. I fiercely hoped that neither of them had noticed my staring and that there was a different reason they had both turned to look at me, and were now walking towards me.

''I want Ava to come with me, she always puts me to bed. I like her stories,'' Arya demanded as soon as she and Robb had reached our table, and the feeling of relief washed over me. I had completely forgotten that I always put Arya to bed and talked about my travels around the kingdoms after I had left my home.

''Of course, I will,'' I smiled and ruffled her hair a little bit, before getting up. ''I'll be right back,'' I said to Sansa, before following Arya, who had started walking towards the exit of the room. Robb walked next to me and I expected him to return to his seat, but instead he walked with me, behind Arya, who had seemed to have forgotten that she was pulled away from her moment of fun, and was now happily skipping down the corridor.

''Shouldn't… you go back to the feast?'' I asked Robb, looking at him for a brief moment, before looking at Arya again.

''And let her drag you into her mischief? I don't think that's wise,'' he chuckled, and I softly giggled at that. He had a point; even though I was older than the young girl, she was clever and endearing enough that she always managed to find a soft spot.

''You're too soft on her, she knows exactly how to get things done with you,'' he said as we turned a corner and walked up the stairs, keeping his eye on Arya to make sure she didn't sneak off.

''Hey, I'm not too soft,'' I defended myself with a smile. Granted, I often found the girl's mischief funny, but I knew exactly when to be serious. Like the day of the king's arrival, I had been the one that found her and made her go stand in line with her family.

''We both know you laugh about Arya when Sansa's not looking,'' Robb continued, smirking down at me, and I chuckled, knowing he was right.

''I can be very strict if I want to be. I was the eldest at home, I always had to make sure my brothers and sisters didn't step out of line.''

''And did it work?''

As I thought about it, a wide smile slowly crept on my face. It hadn't always worked, but I wasn't going to admit that to him, even though he could probably already see it on my face. When we reached Arya's chamber, Robb came to a halt and leaned against the wall next to the door.

''I'll wait here and walk you back to the feast,'' he said, and I nodded at him with a smile, before walking in. Arya was hanging halfway out of her window, looking at the feasting people in the courtyard.

''Get in your nightgown, no postponing your sleep anymore. It's already way past your bedtime,'' I said, trying to prove a point to Robb, because I knew that he could hear what we were saying. With a pout, Arya got off of the chair she had been standing on and walked to her wardrobe.

''So, tell me another story about when you traveled here,'' Arya said as she got dressed. I sat down on a chair next to her bed and thought for a while. After months of wandering around I had enough stories to tell her, but it was hard choosing just one.

''Alright… one night, only a few days before I got here, I had made a fire and I was trying to get some sleep. I was cuddled up close to the fire, since it is much colder here than where I come from, and my clothes weren't that warm. So I was curled up, trying to sleep, when I heard something behind me,'' I told Arya as she got in bed, her eyes a little wide with anticipation.

''What was it?'' she asked in a hushed voice.

''I sat up and looked over, and saw something dark, half hidden behind a tree. I couldn't quite see what it was, but it looked like it had a fur. I took out my knife, but didn't dare to move more than that, fearing that the beast, whatever it was, would scare and attack me. So I sat there, staring at the thing, the thing staring back at me with one eye visible from behind the tree, glistening in the light of the fire. And slowly…it appeared from behind the tree. It was a little baby bear. No larger than your Nymeria right now. I looked around to see if there was any sign of her mother, but it was completely quiet. I think she was abandoned, or maybe she didn't have a family anymore… like me. So I put away the knife and laid down again, showing the little cub that there was nothing to be afraid of. And after a while, she approached the fire, still a little bit weary of me, but trusting enough to lay down at the other side of the fire, where she went to sleep. The next morning when I woke up, she was snuggled up against my legs. I called her Valyria, after the flower and the country, because of her warmth.''

I thought back at the night fondly, remembering it clearly. It had been one of the few actually comfortable and good nights I had had in the wilderness.

''How did you know it was a girl?'' Arya asked.

''I didn't for sure. I just felt like she was a girl,'' I said with a smile. I got up and pulled the sheets up to Arya's chin, then gave a stroke over the girl's hair.

''Now sleep… you must be tired after the feast. Tomorrow there will be a new day.''

Arya closed her eyes and I could have sworn she was asleep before I had even exited the chamber. I closed the door behind me and found Robb leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, like he had so often. He was looking at me with an expression that I couldn't quite place.

''What is it..?'' I asked, a little bit weary, but with a faint smile on my lips.

''Did that really happen? What you told Arya?'' he asked me.

''It did… why, did it sound like a made up story?'' I replied, putting my hands on my hips. He chuckled and shook his head, standing up straight.

''No… it just sounded…more peaceful that I'd imagine a night in the wilderness.''

''Oh…'' I smiled, looking down. ''I've had nights much worse than that one, so you would be right. It was special.''

We started walking back to the great hall where people were still talking and eating and playing music, but I didn't want to. I wanted to keep walking and talk to Robb, ask him questions now that there was time. I wanted to know more about him, I wanted him to know more about me.

''What are you thinking about?'' Robb asked me and I looked up.

''Nothing really…'' I lied.

''Your frown tells me differently,'' he said kindly, I hadn't even noticed that I had been frowning. I didn't want to tell him that I didn't want to go back to the feast, and I realized how stupid that was. How else did I expect him to know? But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

''You've shaved,'' I suddenly said, wanting to change the subject. That afternoon on the courtyard, after the king and Eddard had walked off and Robb had stopped to talk to Sansa and me, I had noticed it right away. He looked younger without his usual stubble.

''Is that why you're frowning? You don't think my shaven face looks good?'' Robb laughed, and I put my hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle.

''No… well yes… I mean… No, that's not why I was frowning, but I do think it looks good. But you also look good with stubble,'' I said, noticing how awkward it sounded as it came out.

''So you think I just look good, period,'' Robb said, now looking at me with a crooked smile. I looked up and met his glance, opening my mouth to say something, yet nothing would come out. He slowly came to a halt right before the doors to the great hall, and I did too, silently cursing myself for not being able to act normal around him. We looked at each other for a few seconds, a blush forming on my cheeks as I was left speechless, and before either of us could say something, a large group of loud and drunk people exited the room, followed by Catelyn and Sansa.

''Ah, there you are, Ava. Please take Sansa to her chamber, and you're free to go to bed after that yourself. You must be exhausted after today,'' the auburn haired woman told me. Catelyn often treated me kindly and with care, and I always felt a faint stab of longing for my mother when I was around her. She was just as loving and kind as her. I smiled and nodded at the woman, who said goodnight to her children and went back into the room. I looked at Robb again, whom was chewing his bottom lip and met my gaze.

''Well… goodnight,'' I softly said, almost having lost my voice, before taking Sansa's arm and quickly walking to Sansa's chamber.

''Why are you in such a hurry,'' Sansa said, looking back at Robb as if that would give her a clue as to why I was practically storming off.

''Oh, I'm just tired, want to get to bed. You don't mind, do you?'' I lied, not in the mood to tell her about what had just happened. Not that much had happened at all, except for our little talk and me making a fool out of myself, but it felt a lot more important than she could probably explain it to Robb's sister.

''Did you and Robb…you know…'' Sansa said, and I could feel my face turn red.

''Did we what?'' I asked, slightly panicking.

''You did, didn't you!'' she exclaimed, a wide smile appearing on her face.

''Keep your voice down!'' I whispered, thankful that we had just turned a corner. ''I don't know what you're talking about.''

''You kissed, didn't you? Did he kiss you or did you kiss him?''

''We did not!'' I quickly said, my face turning even more red. ''We just talked. I swear it.''

Sansa seemed to be examining my face for any sign of a lie, but she didn't say anything in return, so I must have passed.

''Well, your blush would tell me otherwise, but I believe you,'' she said. ''What did you talk about?''

''Nothing important…'' I said, pushing her into her chamber.

''Don't be like that, you know I wouldn't tell anyone!'' Sansa pleaded, but I just smiled kindly at her.

''Sansa, you know you would be the first person I would tell if there was anything going on. There isn't. So, let's go to bed, tomorrow you'll have to spend your time with the prince. You don't want to look tired, do you?'' I said, changing the subject to something I knew would make her forget about me and Robb instantly. It worked and Sansa got into her nightgown while talking about what she wanted to do with the prince the following day, like show him around the castle.

After I had told Sansa goodnight, I went back to my chamber, where I too got into my nightgown and got in bed. My stomach did flips when I thought at the walk from Arya's room to the eating hall, wishing I had just asked Robb to take a detour, to take a walk so we had more time to talk.

'_Tomorrow_', I thought, '_tomorrow I will talk to him. Properly talk to him._'

* * *

_AN: Hello everyone! I hope you liked this chapter. Ever since I got a review from ''Robb Stark'' the pressure has been on, haha, but I do hope that you've enjoyed it. I really don't like fics where relationships are rushed, so this might seem really slow to some readers, but I just want there to be a good base to start with. Please don't forget to review, and until next time!_


	4. Chapter 4

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

I watched the men ride away on their horses, softly biting the inside of my cheek, my arms folded. It was already afternoon and I still hadn't found a moment to talk to Robb. I had either been busy working, and when I didn't have anything to do at that moment, Robb wasn't anywhere in sight. And now he was off, hunting with his father, the king and a few other men. Gone for another couple of hours.

In the corner of my eye I saw Bran and his direwolf pup run off after watching the men leave, and I started walking back inside the castle, when I stopped. Thinking about it, Bran had looked quite suspicious… waiting patiently for his father to leave before running off to whatever he knew he wasn't supposed to do, undoubtedly. I turned and followed Bran, having a hunch what he might be up to. When I saw the wolf standing at the bottom of a tower, looking up, that hunch was confirmed, and I quickened my pace, revealing Bran already halfway to the top when the upper half of the tower came in sight from underneath the stone gate.

I was going to call out his name, but I stopped myself before I did, fearing I might scare him and he'd lose his grip. Instead I stood at the bottom of the tower and folded my arms.

''You know your mother is going to be angry with you, right?'' I said calmly, making Bran look down at me. A wide smile spread across his lips before he continued climbing.

''Only if you tell her about it,'' he said, and I shook my head with a smile, kneeling next to the wolf pup.

''Hey Summer,'' I said, petting the grey wolf as he tried to bite my hand. I chuckled as he softly took a hold of my fingers with his jaws, not nearly biting hard enough to hurt me, and I played with him for a while like that, occasionally looking up at Bran to see where he was. At one point, he wasn't in sight anymore, so I assumed he had reached the top window and was walking downstairs, which seemed a bit odd. Normally he would simply climb down again, taking the stairs was boring. I shrugged it off and continued playing with Summer, when he suddenly let go and looked up, barking in what seemed like a panic. I looked up and felt my breath hitch in my throat. I wanted to yell but I couldn't, the feeling of adrenaline rapidly my every limb, prickling under my skin.

In a matter of seconds, I watched Bran fall from the top of the tower to the hard, grass covered ground.

''Bran!'' I meant to yell, but all that came out was a strained whisper as I hurried over to the seemingly lifeless boy, a couple of meters away on the ground. I knelt next to him, my hand reaching out to touch him, but I couldn't. My hands were shaking uncontrollably, my eyes wide with shock. I looked up at the tower to see if there was any clue as to why Bran had fallen – had he not been inside for at least a minute already? – but there was nothing to be seen. I didn't want to leave him behind, I didn't exactly know what I was afraid of, but I didn't feel comfortable with leaving him alone.

''Summer, stay with Bran,'' I said, my voice shaking, and I got up and ran inside the castle, knowing I had to find Catelyn, or at least somebody who could help him. I didn't even know if he was alive or not, but I knew that I had to get help quickly.

Thankfully, I almost literally ran into Catelyn when I was on my way to her room, and she frowned slightly at the sight of me, my cheeks flushed and a horrified expression on my face.

''What happened, child, is everything alright?'' she asked concerned, and I fiercely shook my head.

''It's Bran,'' I said out of breath, ''he fell..from the tower.''

Catelyn's skin drained of colour and together we hurried back to Bran, where Summer was softly whimpering and licking his cheek. In a matter of minutes, more people were around him, and he was taken to his chamber, where he was put in bed and maester Luwin tended to him. I sat outside his room, on the floor against the wall, my knees pulled up as I waited for news. Time seemed to drag on exceptionally slow, and I suddenly found myself very tired.

When the door opened, I quickly got up, and maester Luwin left the room.

''And?'' I softly said, almost too scared to ask.

''He'll live…'' he answered with a hint of a smile, before walking off. I took a deep breath and looked inside the room, where Bran was in his bed and Catelyn sitting on a chair next to it, holding his hand with red eyes from crying. She looked up and gave me a weak smile.

''Come, child,'' she said, her voice thick with emotion, and I slowly made my way into the room. I stood at the end of the bed, looking at Bran's closed eyes, a grim expression on my face.

''I… I should've…'' I started, but I couldn't say anything else. Guilt washed over me with every word I tried to utter, wishing that I could reverse time and stop Bran from climbing up that tower. I could have stopped him halfway, told him to come back down. Instead I smiled and let him climb his way to a potential death.

''This isn't your fault, Ava,'' Catelyn told me, and I swallowed hard, fighting the tears that I could feel sting my eyes, knowing that the remorse I felt wasn't anything compared to the pain and fear she must have been in at that moment. I shouldn't have been the one complaining.

''He's not awake…'' I stated, my eyes still on Bran.

''Maester Luwin says it could be days… maybe weeks before he wakes up. And… that his legs…'' Catelyn said, but she trailed off into a soft sob, pushing her hand against her mouth. I looked up at her, my eyes wide. His legs… what, did she mean to say that there was something wrong with them?

''Wh-… what about his legs?'' I asked.

''He won't be able to use them anymore,'' she whispered, her eyes on her son, her hand holding his. I felt a hint of the same adrenaline that rushed through me when I watched Bran fall from the tower, fill my stomach. For someone like Bran to lose his legs…

''We'll talk later, Ava. I want to know exactly what you saw. For now… please leave us,'' Catelyn said, and I nodded and left the room. When I thought about it, I was pretty useless. I hadn't seen anything besides Bran, already halfway down the height of the tower when I looked up. And there hadn't been any particularities. By the looks of it, he had just… fallen.

* * *

''Father said yes.''

I was sure that had Bran not fallen off that tower, Sansa would have sounded more cheerful. I knew how much she wanted this, how excited she must have been. But the way she told me the news, she might as well have told me it was raining.

''Are you coming with us?'' she asked me.

''I don't know…'' I shrugged. ''I don't think so. I haven't heard anything about it.''

It was normally never as quiet as it was in Sansa's chamber that evening, as she got ready for bed.

''We leave first thing in the morning. Will you come say goodbye?'' she asked me as she got in bed.

''Of course I will,'' I smiled reassuringly. I didn't know who were going with Eddard to King's Landing, aside from Sansa, but I silently hoped that none of the other Starks were going to leave.

''I'll see you tomorrow, alright?'' I said, walking to the door.

''Yes… goodnight,'' Sansa said.

''Goodnight,'' I said, and exited the chamber. My grim mood lifted a little bit when I saw Robb standing across the corridor from the door, looking outside of a window. He turned when I closed the door behind me and gave me a small smile.

''I thought you'd might be here,'' he said, and I walked over, joining him in front of the window. We stood there for a few seconds, until he broke the silence.

''I wanted to thank you.''

''For what?'' I asked, looking up at him. The smile on his face had gone, his eyes now serious.

''For thinking quickly when Bran fell. If you hadn't been there it could have been minutes, maybe hours before anyone found him. If you hadn't been there…'' he trailed off into silence, and I looked down and shook my head lightly.

''I should have stopped him from climbing that tower in the first place. I know he's not allowed to and yet I let him,'' I argued, looking out the window. It had been a few days since the incident and it still haunted me.

''He's climbed that tower a hundred times. If it had been me standing there, I wouldn't have stopped him either. You've got nothing to feel guilty about,'' Robb told me. He was right, Bran had climbed that tower so many times before, that I hadn't even thought of the act as a dangerous thing. It was so natural for Bran to do it, that it hadn't even seemed like a threat.

I looked down at my hand when I felt something warm close around it, and my eyes fell on Robb's hand holding mine. I looked up at him and he gave me a reassuring smile.

''He'll be fine. When he wakes up, he'll tell us what happened and it will be over. Stop blaming yourself for this…'' he said, softly squeezing my hand. The simple gesture of taking my hand did much more than just warm my hand. It was a warmth that spread through my whole body, and for a moment, I wondered just how warm it would feel to put my hand on his cheek, already back to carry a light stubble, or even to run my fingertips over his lips.

I was woken up from my thoughts when I noticed Robb leaning in, and I felt myself slightly panic, but calmed down a little when he placed a soft kiss on my cheek.

''You should get some rest. I'll see you in the morning,'' he said, letting go of my hand and turning to walk away.

''Robb?'' I said, and he stopped and turned.

''Are you going to King's Landing…with Sansa and your father?'' I asked him, hoping my voice wouldn't completely give away that I hated the idea of him leaving. Robb smiled and shook his head.

''I'm staying,'' he said, before walking off to his chamber. I looked after him and took a deep breath, a smile forming on my lips. He was staying.

* * *

''Please, please, _please_ go and pack your things, I'm sure father won't mind. I don't want to go without you,'' Arya begged me, looking from me to her father. ''Father, can Ava come with us? I don't want to go without her.''

''I'm sorry child, she has to stay here.''

''But why,'' the young girl whined, and I smiled and stroked her hair.

''I work here, I'm not a guest to the king. I promise we'll see each other soon,'' I reassured Arya, who seemed to have given up the argument. I said my goodbyes to her, as well as to Sansa, and waved them off as I had promised. If I was honest, a part of me did want to go with Sansa and Arya to King's Landing. I missed the warm weather, and I knew I would miss the two girls even more. But I couldn't bring myself to leave Winterfell if I didn't have to.

I found myself wandering around the castle after everyone had departed, and ended up where the wolves were kept. Normally there would be six, unless the owner had released them from their chain, but now only Grey Wind and Shaggy Dog were there. I knew Summer stayed with Bran almost every minute of every day ever since he had fallen from the tower and hadn't woken up, Lady and Nymeria went with the girls of course, and Ghost had gone with Jon when he left for the Wall that morning, so it was just the two males left.

When I approached them, Grey Wind immediately got up from his lying position on the ground, walking as far towards me as his chain allowed him. Shaggy Dog lifted his head to look at me, then went back to lying on the ground, his eyes closed.

''Hey Grey Wind,'' I smiled, kneeling next to the pup. He nuzzled the palm of my hand and licked it, before putting his front paws on my legs and sniffing my hair. He had grown a lot since the first time I saw him, which was when I had found him and his brothers and sisters in the forest and petted his soft fur. I think he remembered my scent from that day.

''He likes you.''

I looked up and saw Robb stand a few meters away. I smiled and looked down at his pup, who had left my knees and was now softly whimpering at the sight of his master. It amazed me how quickly these wolves learned who their owners were, let alone how attached they got to them. Robb walked over and crouched beside me, petting Grey Wind's head, whom fiercely tried to lick and bite his hand playfully.

''That day you found them… I was there, hiding in the bushes. I wasn't sure if you were wildlings or…people who meant me harm. I had found the pups right before you and the other men came along… I'd petted him and even considered taking him with me, wherever I was planning on going, but I never got to decide before you found them. I think I was the first human Grey Wind ever encountered,'' I told Robb, keeping my eyes on the little wolf, smiling fondly. Wolves were always spoken of as a threat, and I knew they were dangerous, but these little ones were no different than dogs, at least not yet. Plus, they were beyond adorable looking.

''Really? Why didn't you tell anyone?'' Robb asked me.

''I don't know, really…'' I admitted. At first it was out of fear that I'd done something wrong by hiding myself, but I realized that really it wasn't anything strange to do.

''That does explain why he likes you, though.''

''I'm glad, because I like him,'' I smiled, running my hand over the grey wolf's back.

''I think Grey Wind and I are alike in a lot of things,'' Robb said, and I raised an eyebrow.

''How so?'' I asked, and Robb nodded.

''We both like you.''

I felt my cheeks flush and looked up at him. I hadn't realized how close next to each other we were sitting up until this point, and I found myself studying his face for a split second, gulping lightly as I tried to speak.

''I'm sorry to disappoint Grey Wind, but I think I like you a little bit more than I like him,'' I said, my voice almost a whisper, not even realizing what I had said before it was already out of my mouth. I wanted to get up and turn around, apologize for what I had just said. Up until now Robb and I had only shared normal conversations, aside from the kiss on the cheek he had given me, but I had never said anything like this to him. And when you really thought about it, it didn't even have to mean anything. You can like someone better than someone else, especially when it came to animals. But I think we both knew that I hadn't meant it as simple as that.

Before I could get up, however, Robb put his hand on mine, probably after he noticed I was starting to stand up.

''Don't,'' he softly said, and I looked up at him, my eyes meeting his. I looked in his eyes for a moment, those light blue eyes that I'd imagine the sky would look like on a cold winter's day north of the Wall, where everything was white and grey. My eyes wandered to his lips for a second, and I had to resist the urge to lean forward and kiss him. But oh, I wanted to.

I looked in his eyes again, taking almost no notice of his hand, which he brought up to my face to brush a strand of straight, light brown hair behind my ear, before his warm hand found my cheek. I could feel my heart racing in my throat and hear it in my ears, which only got worse when Robb slowly leaned in. Something told me that this time, he wouldn't go for my cheek, and I closed my eyes, wishing my hands would stop shaking.

When his lips touched mine, the sound and feeling of my heartbeat almost instantly faded away. All I felt was his one hand on mine, his other hand on my cheek and his warm lips on mine. It was a gentle, sweet kiss, and also my first kiss at that. Our lips slowly moved together, my shyness still there, but less present. The desire, so strong I didn't even know I held, for the young man was answered, yet intensified with every second our kiss lasted, and I placed my free hand on his neck, just to keep him there a little while longer.

When we eventually broke the kiss, his forehead touching mine gently, both of us breathing slightly heavier than normal to get air into our lungs, I was certain that I would never kiss anyone's lips but his.

* * *

_AN: Hello lovely readers. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a review. :) The coming days I'll be pretty busy with university and from Thursday till Sunday I'm visiting my family in England, so I'm not sure how much I can update in the next week, but I'm going to do my best to find good working wifi, and I will be writing whether I have wifi or not, so no worries! Until next time :)_


	5. Chapter 5

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

* * *

**Five**

* * *

Warm. Comfortable. Peaceful. That's how I felt after Robb had kissed me, his hand still lingering on my cheek as I opened my eyes and looked at him. He looked me in the eyes, his thumb softly caressing my cheekbone. I couldn't help but smile and look down, knowing I was probably blushing like crazy, but I didn't care. I was still processing the fact that Robb Stark had just kissed me. If you'd asked me earlier that day, I would have said that he didn't think of me as anything more than a worker in the castle, maybe a friend at best. Never in a million years had I expected this to happen. And yet it had felt so natural. Like it only made sense that we had kissed, because who else would I kiss?

''Was I your first kiss?'' he asked me, slowly dropping his hand, and I looked up, nodding, before my smile faded a little.

''Why… w-was I bad?'' I asked bluntly, and he chuckled and shook his head.

''Not at all…but you seemed overwhelmed.''

''I was a little,'' I admitted with a chuckle, raising my eyebrows slightly. ''I didn't think you…liked me in that way.''

''There's a lot you don't know about me yet, Brown,'' Robb said, a smirk forming on his lips, which I returned.

''Well, _Stark_, we're going to have to change that, aren't we?''

* * *

For some reason, I had felt like everything would be good after that afternoon. But I soon realised things weren't going to be like that moment all the time. Soon after the kiss Robb and I had shared, he had to go and so some duty, being the oldest Stark at Winterfell. That only worsened when Catelyn had to leave as well, officially leaving Robb in charge. I didn't see much of him at all, and without Sansa, Arya or Bran to keep me company, I felt alone again. I tried spending time with Rickon, but he was probably just a few years too young to enjoy the company of anyone my age.

I worked more than I needed to, but it was better than sitting around, doing nothing. It took my mind off of things, and by things I meant Robb, because the thought of him still made it hard to concentrate. I wondered if he thought of me as much as I thought of him, which was practically all the time. I found comfort in spending time with Grey Wind, who seemed to like it a lot when I freed him from his chain and walked around the godswood with him, him always keeping me within sight, as if he wanted to make sure I was alright.

Life in the castle went on and the days seemed to drag out into one long routine of getting up, working, walking, eating and sleeping again. I visited Bran every day, to put fresh flowers next to his bed. I always lingered around for a while, talking to him, in case he dreamt about it. I had no knowledge of healing, and I wasn't even sure if he would be able to hear me, but I liked the feeling. It was as if I was simply telling him a bedtime story.

On the day that Bran woke up, I felt that kind of excitement that I always felt when something really good happened. When I heard the news I practically ran to his bedchamber, my face completely lit up with the good news. I came to a halt in the door opening of his chamber, which was open. My eyes fell on Robb, who was sitting with his back towards the door. He turned his head and looked at me, just like Bran, both of them carrying serious, almost pained expressions. The smile on my face faded and I slowly entered the room.

''What is it?'' I asked, afraid that there was bad news.

''Maester Luwin says I'll never walk again.''

I gulped and looked down, of course he was sad about that. I had already heard the news, but I should have known that Bran wouldn't be in high spirits when he woke up.

''And he doesn't remember what happened,'' Robb added sombrely as he got up.

''I do know. I fell,'' Bran said calmly, and I saw Robb's jaw clench.

''I'll get Rickon, he'd want to say hi to you. It is good to have you back, Bran,'' I smiled, hoping my smile would offer him at least a little bit of comfort, and I took Robb's hand and dragged him out of Bran's chamber, pulling the door closed behind me.

''You sounded as if you're not convinced that Bran just fell. What do you think he might remember?'' I asked in a hushed tone, and Robb looked around to see If there was anyone close by.

''You can't tell anyone about this… the reason my mother left is because she thinks one of the Lannisters tried to kill Bran,'' he told me, my eyes widening at his words. ''Right before she left, someone came into his room and tried to stab him. I don't think Bran just fell off that tower.''

I stared at him in disbelief. Who would ever try to harm someone as free spirited and innocent as Bran?

''Someone… tried to _kill_ Bran?'' I said, in nothing more than a whisper. Robb simply nodded and looked around again.

''Nobody can know of this, Ava, you have to promise me.''

''Of course, I promise,'' I reassured him, and with a small smile Robb brought his face up to my cheek and softly stroked it. Now I was the one looking over his shoulder, making sure we were alone. Robb was less worried about it than I was, but I doubted it was a good idea to be seen in public; Robb, being the one in charge of Winterfell, with me, nothing more than a maid.

''Stop being so nervous,'' he said, his tone less grim and more relaxed now. I looked up in his eyes and wanted to nod, follow his advice, but I couldn't. I didn't want to cause more trouble than the Starks were already in.

''I should get Rickon,'' I said, turning away from him, but he gently took a hold of my upper arm and pulled me back. I softly gasped as he pulled me against his chest, closer than I had ever been to him. He leaned down and kissed me, not as softly as the first kiss we had shared, but it was still as sweet and breath-taking. My hand found its way into his dark curls as I kissed him back, giving in to the urge that had built in my stomach as the days had dragged on, my other hand resting on his chest. His hands were on my sides, keeping me against him. His tongue lightly traced my lower lip and I felt my knees becoming weak. I placed my hand on his shoulder for a little more support and parted my lips, his tongue finding fine swiftly. I went along with it, having no idea what I was doing, but I must have done something right, because after a while, Robb pulled back, softly chuckling. I looked up at him, my cheeks warm and rosy from his closeness, and I looked at him with questioning eyes.

''You catch on quickly,'' he said, and I looked down with a smile, biting my lip softly.

''Are you still nervous?'' he asked me, and I shook my head.

''A lot less at least,'' I admitted.

''So I reckon I should do that more often,'' Robb smiled teasingly.

''I wouldn't oppose to that,'' I admitted with a giggle. He traced his thumb over my bottom lip, before taking a few steps back, turning and walking off. I could practically see his smile through the back of his head.

* * *

''Bran. Your saddle is ready!''

A few days earlier, Tyrion Lannister had visited the castle, with a gift to Bran. A design for a saddle that allowed him to ride a horse, despite the fact that he couldn't use his legs anymore. Robb had been suspicious at first, not sure of the lion's intentions, but after Tyrion had explained that he quite understood Bran in the sense of being different, he gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Now, after a few days, the saddle was ready, and I was more than happy to break the good news to the young Stark boy. Together with Hodor, who was carrying the saddle, I had walked to Bran, and told him the good news.

A wide smile appeared on Bran's face at the sight of the saddle, and not an hour later, I sat in the middle of the woods on a large rock in the middle of a thicket, Robb and Theon sitting beside me, as Bran rode around us in circles. I watched Bran with a broad smile on my face, happy to see him laughing again. The last time he had done that was right before he had fell off of the tower.

''Not too fast,'' Robb told Bran, but he too had a smile on his face.

''When are you gonna tell him?'' Theon asked Robb, and I looked up at the two, not sure what they were talking about.

''Not now,'' Robb answered.

''Blood for blood. You need to make the Lannisters pay for Jory and the others.''

I knew what Theon was talking about there. Everyone had been talking about it. In King's Landing, Jaime Lannister had killed one of Eddard's men. Ned himself had received a spade through his upper leg, a real act of violence. People were angry and demanded action, something to make them pay for what they did to their Lord. I did too, my blood boiled at the thought of people harming the man who had shown me mercy, a man with true honour and a good heart. But I feared for what Theon might suggest to Robb.

''You're talking about war,'' Robb said, which confirmed my fear. I didn't want Robb to go to war, it was the absolute last thing I wanted. But I also knew that acting as the lord of Winterfell, it was a possibility that he would.

''We're talking about justice.''

I wanted to speak up, voice my opinion. Going to war wouldn't change anything, it wouldn't get Jory back, and it wouldn't heal Eddard. All it would do was enrage the Lannisters and it would end up in a bloodbath. Robb would end up in that bloodbath. But I didn't speak up. I knew that they, especially Theon, wouldn't listen to me. War was for men.

''Only the lord of Winterfell can call the banner men and raise an army.''

''The Lannister put his spade through your father's leg. The Kingslayer rides for Casterly Rock where no one can touch-''

''You want me to march in Casterly Rock?'' Robb asked rhetorically.

''You're not a boy anymore. They've attacked your father, they've already started the war. It's your duty to represent your House when your father can't.''

I bit my tongue, knowing I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut for much longer. I knew the Starks were high on duty and honour, but in my opinion, the wise thing would to be diplomatic about it, rather than raising an army and going to war right away.

''And it's not your duty, because it's not your House,'' Robb said calmly to Theon, and the two shared a look. I sighed, if the two of them didn't stop arguing soon, I would interrupt them. This was a happy moment, a moment where Bran-…

''Where is Bran?'' I said, getting up from the rock and looking around, and Robb got up as well. The conversation between the two young men had spiked my attention and I hadn't even noticed that Bran had ridden off.

''Don't know,'' Theon simply said, also getting up. He walked away and I lightly shook my head, walking in the other direction. I heard Robb's footsteps behind me as we walked, looking around to see any sign of Bran. I knew better than to call his name in these woods. There could be wildlings anywhere.

I came to a halt when I saw Bran on his horse, and I felt my stomach drop. Wildlings weren't just anywhere. They were here.

''Robb,'' I whispered, nodding my head at Bran and the wildlings. He put his hand on my shoulder and mouthed the word ''stay'', then pressed his index finger to his lips before slowly approaching the scene, drawing his sword quietly. I gulped and watched, then made a quick decision. I started walking around, in a large half circle, so I was sure they couldn't see me. I wasn't going to stand there and watch while Bran was in danger, I couldn't.

The wildlings were so focussed on Bran that they hadn't even noticed Robb or me approaching them. My eyes met Robb's as we both closed in on the wildlings from opposite sides, and I saw him shake his head at me. I came to a halt and half hid behind a tree, not making any quick or foolish decisions for now. I would await Robb's.

''Drop the knife,'' Robb said, now stepping into clear view, ''let him go and I'll let you live.''

It only took a few seconds before one of the four wildlings screamed and charged at Robb with his axe. Robb dodged the axe with ease, slitting the man's throat with one swift movement. A soft gasp escaped my lips. I had never seen Robb kill someone before. Thinking about it, it wasn't really something to be shocked about, especially since he was a lord and they were wildlings, it was only logical he would have to kill them, but it still managed to take me aback.

He had barely killed the first man before a second man and a woman both attacked him, which was when I saw my chance. The fourth wildling was busy trying to free Bran from the straps that bound him to the saddle, so I looked at the ground, picked up a rock and ran over to the two. I knew better than to announce my attack with a scream, so the man didn't even know I was there until I struck him with the rock against his head. He let out a scream, probably more out of shock than it actually hurt, as I wasn't exactly strong, but the element of surprise bought me enough time to push the man away from Bran.

''Ride, Bran. Go!'' I ordered the young Stark, and Bran obeyed, looking back once, fear spread out on his face. I didn't have much time to do anything else, as an arm wrapped around my neck and I felt the cold metal of a sharp blade against my throat. I struggled, despite my fear for the lethal weapon, but the man was much too strong for me.

''Drop the blade!'' the man warned Robb, who had already finished off the second man and now held the woman by her hair, his sword ready to finish her off as well. He looked up and his features softened as soon as his eyes fell on me.

''Do it!'' the man demanded, getting impatient. Robb's eyes were locked with mine and I silently tried to tell him not to put his sword down. If he did we would both be unarmed, and seeing as he had already killed two of their men, what was to stop them from killing us?

I wanted to yell at Robb when I saw him slowly crouch to the ground, where he dropped the sword, and got up again. My mind was racing, trying to find a way out of this situation, when I thought I saw something pop out of the man's chest from the corner of my eye and I felt the man's body stiffen. The arm around my neck loosened and he dropped the blade. I quickly pushed the man off of me and turned around, watching him fall on the ground, an arrowhead peeking out of his chest. I looked up and saw Theon standing a little while away, with Bran right behind him.

Theon walked over, Bran following suit, as Theon loaded his bow again and walked passed me towards Robb and the woman. Robb let go of the woman's hair and walked over to me, putting both his hands on my upper arms.

''Are you alright? Did he hurt you?'' he asked, and I didn't think I had ever heard him that concerned. I just nodded, only now realizing how fast my heart was beating and how scared I had really been. Must have been the adrenaline running through me that masked the fear when I needed it.

His eyes wandered to my throat and his brow furrowed as he brushed some hair away from my neck. He lightly placed two gloved fingers on the side of my neck, before looking up at me again.

''What?'' I asked, looking down at his hand, his index and middle finger wet with dark blood. Was that my blood? It couldn't be, I didn't feel the slightest bit of pain. I brought my hand up to my neck and lightly touched the skin, which was indeed wet, but Robb gently moved my hand away.

''Don't touch it… We have to head back to the castle, that needs to be taken care of,'' he said, before turning to Theon.

''Have you lost your mind? What if you missed? You could have killed her,'' he said, and I could hear anger seeping into his voice.

''He would have cut her throat and killed you,'' Theon argued, his eyes wide.

''You don't have the right to-''

''To what, to save your girl's life? It was the only thing to do so I did it!''

It was silent for a couple of seconds. I was coming down from the adrenaline high that probably masked the pain, and realization of what had happened just now started to kick in. Robb looked at me again, his eyes shooting to the cut on my neck, which was still bleeding.

''We have to go back to the castle now. We'll keep the woman alive, take her with you,'' he told Theon, before placing his hand on the small of my back and gently urging me back to the direction of the castle. We walked back in silence.

* * *

'Will it leave a scar?'' Bran asked me, and I shook my head.

''Thankfully it isn't deep enough for that. Merely a scratch. It will heal in time,'' I said, and I could see Bran furrowing his brow in thought.

''What?'' I asked him after a few seconds.

''I'm glad it was just a scratch… but thinking about it, a scar on your neck does look pretty impressive. And dangerous,'' he said, a smile forming on his lips, and I chuckled.

''It would look pretty impressive, wouldn't it? Better luck next time. Although I hope there won't be a next time,'' I admitted with a wink, and Bran smiled.

''Get some sleep, little lord. Today has been rather eventful,'' I said, getting up from the chair next to Bran's bed, and I ruffled his hair a bit. He smiled and gave me a short nod, before closing his eyes. I walked to the door, looked back at him for a few seconds, then exited the chamber. Today _had_ been very eventful, and as I walked back to my bedchamber, I realized just how exhausted I felt. Adrenaline sure was nice in the heat of the moment, where fear and pain couldn't get the better of you, but it also took its toll on your body.

I reached my room and opened the door, when I was stopped by someone calling my name. I looked up and watched Robb jog over to me, a serious expression on his face.

''Where have you been? I've been looking for you,'' he said worriedly, and I felt a little bit guilty. After we had gotten back to the castle, he had sent me straight to maester Luwin while he dealt with the wildling woman, and after Luwin had cleaned the cut and put a bandage around it, I went straight to Bran to see how he was doing.

''I was with Bran… I'm alright,'' I reassured him, a faint smile crossing my lips. I took Robb's hand and opened the door to my chamber, pulling him inside before closing the door again. Almost instantly his hands were on my sides, gently pushing me against the wooden wall and he leaned down, capturing my lips with his own. He hadn't kissed me like this before; urgent and passionate, as if he was afraid that this moment would go away too soon. I kissed him back, placing my hands on his cheeks, the rough feel of his stubble underneath my fingertips.

I softly gasped for breath when he pulled back a little, unaware that a kiss could be so intense.

''I was scared today… For a moment I feared that I was going to lose you,'' Robb whispered, pressing his lips to my forehead, and I closed my eyes.

''I'm here… I'm not going anywhere,'' I said, closing the small distance between us, burying my face in his neck, taking in his scent of musk, smoke and leather. I felt his arms close around me and we stood there for a while, until he loosened his grip and walked me to my bed. We laid down on the furs and he pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me once more. I softly kissed his jaw, not being able to reach higher than that and too tired to properly try, before resting my head on his chest and almost instantly drifting off into a deep sleep.

* * *

_AN: Hellooo! I really hope you liked this chapter, because I think this has been my favourite one so far! I hope you guys liked the development in this chapter, since quite some time has passed, so I felt like it was about time stuff like this happened between Ava and Robb! Anyways, please don't forget to review, they work really motivating, and I'll try to update again soon! Until next time :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

* * *

**Six**

* * *

I woke up feeling more relaxed and rested than I had in a long, long time. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to fully wake up just yet. I was lying on my side, facing Robb, his arms still closed around me. I didn't hear any sounds from outside, which meant that it was probably still very early in the morning. I smiled to myself, thankful for having some more time with him. I didn't know where exactly we stood now, if we could truly be together. But I did know that right here, in his embrace, was where I truly felt safe.

''Good morning,'' Robb said, his voice soft and sleepy, and I smiled at the sound of it.

''Good morning.''

''How did you sleep?'' he asked me.

''Better than I have in a long time,'' I said, looking up at him. He looked down at me with a soft smile, before leaning in and softly pressing his lips against mine in a gentle kiss. That familiar warmth that spread through my body every time our lips locked, flowed through my veins again, even at the gentle kiss he now gave me.

''How do you feel?'' he asked me when we broke away. ''Does the cut hurt?''

''I barely feel anything,'' I said with a light shake of my head. That wasn't exactly true, the cut stung more than I wanted to admit, but I didn't want him to get worried over it. Maester Luwin had said it would heal, so it would heal. It was only normal that it still hurt, as the cut was still pretty fresh.

''When you do, tell me, alright?'' Robb said, stroking my cheek, and I nodded.

''Can I ask you something?'' I said, lightly biting my lip in thought.

''Of course,'' Robb answered.

''Yesterday… after Theon shot that wildling… he said that he'd saved ''your girl''. How… Did you tell him about us?'' I asked.

''I didn't, actually…but Theon isn't stupid. I think he's been on to it for a while. He is my best friend, after all,'' Robb answered. ''If I had told him, would you have minded?''

''Not at all,'' I told him. If he had, it meant that he had most likely used the words ''my girl'' and the mere idea of that made me blush already. Which was something I did a lot lately, thanks to him.

''But he was right,'' Robb said, putting his finger under my chin and gently making me look up at him.

''You are my girl.''

''You don't mean… to actually tell people, do you?'' I asked hesitantly. I wanted nothing more than to be able to be with Robb and not care about what anyone else thought, but the words I had spoken to Sansa remained true. He was a lord, the lord of Winterfell now that his father wasn't there, and I was a nobody.

''I do,'' he said with a nod and determination in his eyes. ''That is if you want to be.''

''More than anything…'' I said honestly, ''but what will your father and mother say?''

''My father and mother aren't here.''

''But they will find out. I'm sure they think you're supposed to be with a lady, a girl from a powerful House. Not an orphan with a commoner's name.''

''Enough of that. I have made my choice… I'm sticking with it.''

His words soothed my worries a little bit, because I knew how he felt. If I had to be with anybody else than him, I would never agree to it. I just hoped his determination was enough.

* * *

Soon after our talk, Robb told me I wouldn't have to work anymore. Despite the fact that it did help me pass time more quickly, I decided to spend more time with Bran and Grey Wind instead. Around the castle, I noticed that people started behaving differently towards me. They seemed friendlier, and one of the younger maids once said ''milady'' to me, which completely caught me off guard.

''Everyone… _likes_ me,'' I said to Robb, my eyes following Grey Wind, whom was walking a few meters ahead of us as we took a stroll through the godswood.

''Is that surprising?'' Robb chuckled.

''Well, I just mean that at first, people hardly noticed me. Now everyone seems to notice me,'' I said, returning his chuckle with a smile.

''That's because you were one of them. Now you're one of us,'' he said, looking down at me.

''You're speaking as if I've been accepted into the family,'' I said with a soft snort.

''You basically have, haven't you? Everyone likes you, even Rickon, even though he doesn't spend much time with you. Mother didn't get to spend much time with you, father even less, but when they did, they were always pleased to see you. Sansa and Arya adore you, Bran always looks forward to your visits. You've already been accepted into the family, Ava.''

I smiled widely at his words. Everything he had said was true, yet I was still anxious about it. Maybe it was a little bit irrational, but I was simply afraid that something was going to happen that would come in between Robb and I.

''You'll need one of your own,'' Robb said, nodding to the cloak I was wearing, which was one of Sansa's. She was only thirteen but she was already a little bit taller than me, so the cloak fit just right. She hadn't brought many warm clothes to King's Landing since it was much warmer there than here, so when she left, she had told me to use whatever I needed from her wardrobe.

''I don't see what's wrong with the clothes I got when I first came here,'' I said. Yes they were more common than the clothes Sansa and Arya had worn when they were still in Winterfell, but that was only logical. I wore clothes that all the other maids around the castle wore.

''You're not a commoner anymore. Not really at least,'' Robb said. I shook my head with a smile, knowing he wouldn't give in. The way he talked about it, it sounded as if we were practically wed, and that idea really made my head spin. I hadn't even thought about marrying Robb, partially because I could never see it happening in the first place, and also because a little over a month ago, we hadn't even known each other. Then again, people marry without really knowing each other all the time. It was how things were done, but that was usually in his circle, not mine. Commoners like me had no gain in marrying other commoners, since we didn't have wealth or power to share.

''Alright alright…'' I chuckled, earning a smile from him.

We didn't often get the chance to spend time together for walks or talk, so whenever Robb knocked on my chamber door, whether he had a grin on his face or his eyes were more tired than usual because of the responsibilities he had, I was glad to see him again. Unfortunately, it was rare for him to spend a night next to me. Even though he didn't care if people knew about our relationship, which was practically everyone by now, it was still frowned upon to lay with a woman you're not married to, unless she was a woman of the night. We knew that if he stayed the night in my chamber, that merely consisted of me cuddled up to his warm body, his lips pressed to my hair, stealing kisses whenever we pleased, nothing more than that. But everyone else, didn't know that, which meant there was enough room for rumours.

One morning, a few weeks after the incident in the forest, I heard a knock on my door. Sansa had left a lot of things behind when she left for King's Landing, including a lot of supplies she used for sowing. I had decided to practice my sowing skills, and what better way than to try and make my own clothing? I knew Sansa loved to, and maybe I could make something for her and Arya, as a gift the next time I saw them.

I put the fabric and needle down , walked to the door and opened it. It wasn't the first time that I had seen Robb looking like this; flustered and frustrated, a little bit angry even, and every time I had, I felt my insides clench a little. I hated seeing him upset.

''What's the matter?'' I asked him, stepping aside so he could enter my chamber. He walked in, his hands balled into fists, and I could see him try to calm down, taking deep breaths.

''My father has been accused of treason. The queen wants me to ride for King's Landing and kiss Joffrey's feet,'' he said, venom dripping from his every word. Ever since the news of king Robert's death had reached Winterfell, Robb had disliked the idea of Joffrey on the throne. The two had only briefly met when the king came to Winterfell, but as far as I had seen, Joffrey was no more than a spoiled, arrogant little prince. Who now sat on the throne, unfortunately.

''…Treason? I-..'' I started, trailing off into silence. I couldn't imagine Ned doing anything to betray Robert, especially revolving his death. And by the looks of it, Robb couldn't either.

''What will happen to your father if you don't?'' I asked softly.

''I don't know, he'll be killed, most likely. But I won't let it come to that.''

''You're going to King's Landing?'' I asked, a small frown appearing on my face.

''Yes. And I'm taking with me all the men who have sworn to defend my father.''

''Wait, you don't mean to say you're going to war, are you?'' I said, taking a small step closer to him, my voice thick with worry. I should have realised that Robb would call the banners and ride south, his father's life was being threatened after all. I had hoped differently, however.

''That's exactly what I mean.''

It was quiet. I stared at Robb, struggling to find the right words to say. I didn't want him to go, it would mean that he was going to fight in battle, that his life would be in danger. He might never come back if he left, and I couldn't bear that idea. But I also understood why he had to go. He had to defend his father, his House. It was his duty, as Theon had told him.

''I don't have a choice,'' he said, his voice calmer now, and he stepped close to me. He placed his hands on my cheeks and I looked up at him.

''I'll come back. I promise. I'll write as much as I can, to you and Bran and Rick-''

''I want to come with you,'' I interrupted him. He immediately shook his head.

''It will be too dangerous. I can't lead these men to war and worry about you at the same time. I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I need you to stay here. Keep Bran from getting into trouble, guide him. I know you can do it,'' he said, but I shook my head, shifting my eyes to the ground. I bit my tongue to stop myself from tearing up, feeling my eyes sting a little.

''Listen to my words. I _will_ come back.''

''You can't promise me that,'' I replied, my voice less steady than I had liked it to be. This wasn't at all how I had had the future in mind. I had expected to have more time, more moments alone with Robb, which were the moments when we really got to know each other better. His mother would return soon enough, maybe his father too, now that there was a different king and he might not be the king's hand for much longer, and everything would be the way they were when I first got here. Robb leaving for war wasn't part of that, in any context.

''You need to have faith. Do you trust me?'' he asked me calmly, softly kissing my hair. I sniffed and nodded.

''Then trust me when I say that we will see each other again.''

It took me a few seconds so swallow back my tears and look up at him again. I could see his pained expression, and I realised that he probably felt worse about this than I did, for he had to make the decision. I stood on my toes and kissed him, placing my hand on his neck and his hand finding its way to my back. I knew that he understood that I wouldn't argue any further. I hadn't accepted his choice, and I probably never would, but he had made his decision, and I wouldn't try to convince him otherwise anymore.

As I pulled back and found my feet again, I felt the fur of his cloak tickle the back of my hand, and I looked at what he was wearing. He was fully dressed, carrying his sword and dagger, with his cloak around his shoulders and even his leather gloves on his hands.

''You're leaving already?'' I said, my voice barely a whisper, and Robb nodded.

''We can't waste any time. If we ride tomorrow morning, too many people will know, and the Lannisters will find out by the end of the day.''

''Did you say goodbye to your brothers?''

''Not yet, I'm doing that next. After that… I leave.''

I took a deep breath and nodded. It was late, it was only a coincidence that I had still been up at this hour, if I hadn't been so caught up in my sowing project I would have been asleep already. My thoughts were racing, there was so much I wanted to ask him, still so much I didn't know about him. I knew he promised to come back, but I also knew that there wasn't a guarantee he could keep that promise, and the worst imaginable thought was that after tonight, I would never get to see him again.

''Get some rest,'' he said, giving me one last kiss, before walking back to the door. He opened it and turned, our gaze meeting each other's for a few seconds, before he walked out of my chamber and pulled the door shut. I stood there, maybe for a few minutes, thinking about what had just happened, before slowly getting changed and crawling in bed. I stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking '_maybe this is just a strange dream, like the ones Bran told you about_', but I knew that it was simply the cold, hard truth.

* * *

''Can you promise me something?''

I looked up at Bran from the book in my hands. In the short time Arya and I had spent together, she had managed to teach me to read pretty decently, and now it was just a matter of practice. I enjoyed reading a lot, and spent my days mostly reading books, sowing and spending time with Bran and Summer. With Robb's departure, I had also lost my friend Grey Wind for the time being.

''What is it?'' I asked, not wanting to agree to a promise before knowing what it was.

''Promise me you _won't_ leave me behind.''

I looked at the dark haired boy with pity in my eyes. It was only natural for him to feel like his family had abandoned him, first his father and sisters, then his mother and now Robb; they had all left. He was only a child and wouldn't understand their duties, or so I imagined.

''They didn't leave you behind, Bran. Your father's hand of the king, your mother-''

''I know why they left. But they weren't forced to. They could have taken me with them. They could have sent someone else. Yet Rickon and I are the only Starks left here. While the rest is off on business more important than family.''

''I know for a fact that family is the most important thing to them, that is why they are away. Robb is trying to free your father, so he and your sisters can come home. Your mother as well.''

Bran looked away, a soft breeze blowing through his hair. It was a cold day, but we had still walked to the godswood, Bran on my back, smiles on our faces. I was glad that we shared blissful moments like those every now and then, because ever since Robb had left almost a week ago, Bran had hardly smiled at all.

''One day you will be old enough to understand,'' I told him, feeling a bit guilty about that, as I wasn't sure if I fully understood myself. It just seemed like the wise and grown up thing to say.

''I pray for them. To return home safely,'' Bran told me after a while, and I looked at him.

''As do I, Bran,'' I smiled weakly, looking up at the read leaves of the heart tree. I did pray to the Gods every day, asking them to look over Robb, Sansa, Arya, Catelyn and Eddard, as well as Bran and Rickon, even though they were here at Winterfell. I didn't know if they could hear me, or if they even bothered to listen. All I knew was that while I was here, being useless, I might as well try to aid them as much as possible.

''I got a letter from Robb,'' Bran continued. ''He says mother found them. They're doing well. That's all he would tell me.''

''He can't say too much, in case the raven gets caught before it gets to you,'' I said, hoping Bran wouldn't take it to heart that his brother didn't write much in his letter. It had been more than what she had received from him, which was nothing. Bran had gotten his second letter today, and I still hadn't received any. I didn't allow myself to think too much of it. I knew he was busy, I was surprised he even found time to write letters in the first place. But I kept my hopes up, my head shooting up whenever I heard anything that sounded like a bird's wings.

* * *

A few mornings later, when I was in the stables, helping Bran to get on his horse for some morning riding, maester Luwin entered the stables with a scroll in his hand. Bran and I both looked at him, and we knew this could only mean one of two things. There was either good news or bad news about Bran's family, and bad news often meant death.

''What is it?'' Bran asked hurriedly.

''Robb and his men have fought their first battle. They've won,'' Luwin said, and I let out a relieved breath, realizing I had been holding my breath ever since Luwin had walked in.

''But, it is far from over. They have also lost a lot of men. They are still on their way down to King's Landing. If I'm not mistaken, they will have to pass the Twins next, which will be quite a challenge. I will keep you informed as often as possible,'' he told us, and I nodded. He smiled weakly at us before turning and walking out again, and I looked at Bran. Despite the knowledge that the war was not nearly over, we both smiled at each other. They had won the first battle, which meant that they were still alive and there was a chance they might actually succeed.

''Go on, I'll race you to the river, you get a ten second head start.''

* * *

_AN: Hi there! __I hope this chapter isn't going too fast. A lot of things are happening and a lot of time passes here, so I hope it went as smoothly as I intended. There has been a change of plan for the rest of my week: I won't be going to visit my family in the UK after all. Some health issues with one of my family members on this side of the pond is making things difficult so we won't be going there just yet. A rough time for my family, but at least I can write to keep my mind off of things and to keep you readers happy! Until next time. _


	7. Chapter 7

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

* * *

**Seven**

* * *

''Did you have one of those dreams again?'' I asked Bran, whom was sitting on my back, his arms loosely around my shoulders. I was walking across the courtyard to the entrance of the crypts, after Bran had asked me to take him there.

''Yes. I saw the raven again, it had three eyes. It told me to follow him into the crypts. So I did. My father was there.''

''You know your father won't be there, Bran. And he won't be for a long, long time,'' I reassured him as I walked down the steps. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, where Bran took a torch from the wall, and I continued walking. I slowly followed the corridors, looking around. I had never been here before. I knew that all of Bran's deceased family members were here, at least most of them.

''That's where I saw him,'' he said, nodding his head at one of the neighbouring corridors. I stopped walking and we both looked into the black hallway, not able to see further than just a few meters. It was completely quiet, and I didn't think Eddard would spend his time in a crypt, completely silent and in the dark.

''He's not here… satisfied?'' I asked Bran, feeling a cold shiver run down my back. I didn't like this place.

I nearly fell over when something leapt out of the dark, snarling and growling, but relaxed when the thing quickly stopped, identifying the beast as Shaggy Dog. He probably hadn't recognized us at first, seeing as he now didn't seem hostile at all.

''Here, Shaggy Dog,'' Rickon's voice came out of the darkness, before he came walking out of it.

''What are you doing down here?'' Bran asked, still a little bit out of breath from the shock.

''I came down here to see father.''

''How many times have I told you, he's in King's Landing with Sansa and Arya,'' Bran argued, even though he had wanted to come down here, just to make sure.

''He was down here, I saw him,'' Rickon said, his eyebrows raised, giving him a slightly worried expression.

''Saw him when?'' Bran asked.

''Last night, when I was sleeping,'' Rickon said, before walking back into the dark corridor, his wolf following him suit. I sighed and walked back to the stairs.

''Rickon saw him too…'' Bran said, trying to make sense of it all.

''It is not that strange, you know, he's been away for a long time now. You both miss him. It's just a coincidence that you've both dreamt about him last night.''

''But he was in the crypts in Rickon's dream too,'' Bran said as I reached the top of the stairs and walked out onto the courtyard again.

''I'm sure it was just a co-…''

I trailed off into silence and stopped walking. Across the courtyard stood maester Luwin, a scroll in his hand and a look on his face that could only mean one thing. He saw us and slowly made his way over.

''Bran…'' was all he said, and the two of us stayed quiet. Thinking back to when maester Luwin had come to tell us about the won battle, there had only been the possibility of good news back then. His face hadn't been so pale, so grim then. He carried bad news, and before he even said it, I understood what had happened. Eddard Stark had died.

* * *

I was at a loss. I didn't know how to make Bran feel better. We had received word of more victories on the battle field, three in total now, but that didn't weigh up to the fact that two young boys had lost their father. They hadn't seen their mother in months, nor their siblings. It was anything but easy.

Robb had left almost two months ago, and I still hadn't received a single letter. The letters to Bran became less frequent as well. I was tempted to write a letter to him, getting more and more desperate to know how he was doing and why he hadn't written me yet, but I resisted. For a raven to find Winterfell was one thing, but I couldn't risk letting my raven fall into the wrong hands. I wouldn't really mention confidential things, but it was private.

I had to put my thoughts on that matter aside. I had to be there for Bran and Rickon now, like Robb had said. They had nobody left at Winterfell, except maester Luwin, so I might act as the closest thing they had to a sister. That evening, as I lay in bed, I vowed to do anything in my power to be there for Bran and Rickon.

Except it didn't come to that.

Deep in the night, when I was sound asleep, the door of my chamber flung open and two guards marched in.

''Forgive me, milady, but we have been ordered to collect you and bring you to camp at once,'' one If the guards said when I had sat up in my bed, completely in shock of the sudden men barging in.

''O-Ordered.. by whom?'' I asked.

''Lady Stark.''

I thought about that for a few seconds. Why would she want me there, wherever she was. Then I remembered something.

''Is she with Robb?'' I asked, and the guard nodded. Why would she ask me to come there if Robb wouldn't allow it? Unless Robb didn't know she had ordered the guards to get me.

''She said it was urgent, milady.''

''I will be out in a few minutes,'' I said, still foreign to being called ''milady'', but I didn't have time to think about that. The guards left the chamber and I got out of bed. I sheepishly got dressed, having the faint feeling that something wasn't right. I exited my chamber and followed the guards outside, where their horses, and a third one, were waiting.

''Wait,'' I said, stopping in my tracks.

''I… I can't leave, Bran-''

''Bran will be fine in maester Luwin's hands. You must come with us.''

''At least let me say goodbye to him,'' I pleaded, but the guard shook his head.

''If you don't come with us willingly, we'll have to force you.''

I gulped and behind me, up at the window I know was Bran's. It broke my heart to leave like this, without even letting him know I was leaving. I knew that that morning, he would feel like I had left him behind, like all the others before me.

Not wanting to outwait the patience of the guards, I got on my horse and took a deep breath. I still didn't know why Catelyn needed me, or where she was, and why she had gone behind Robb's back. And if she hadn't, why Robb had agreed on this now.

We rode for hours on end, and I could feel the lack of sleep getting to me. I hadn't had much training with riding a horse, and I had only slept for a few hours, so by the time camp was in sight, my legs and back ached.

We slowly came to a halt and I dismounted my horse, looking around. There were tents set up, and campfires in between. Despite the fact that these men were at war, the few that were still up at this hour seemed to be in a rather good mood. At that moment I had great respect for these men. They saw horrors every time they entered a battle field, and yet here they stood, still fighting for justice. They were true heroes.

''This way, milady,'' one of the guards said, and I followed him to a large tent. He moved the cotton flap aside and walked in, followed by me.

''Your grace,'' the guard said, and for a second I panicked. Your grace was only a thing you said to a king or queen, which in this case meant Cersei or Joffrey. But when my eyes met those light blue ones that I had missed so much, all that fear washed away.

''Ava?'' he said, and the tone of his voice was enough to know that he wasn't aware of my summoning.

''Robb,'' I breathed, quickly walking over to him and wrapping my arms around him. He closed his arms around me and held me tight against him. I closed my eyes and took in that scent that, like his eyes, I had missed so much.

''What are you doing here?'' he asked me, stroking my hair and pulling back a little, looking down at me.

''The guards brought me here on orders…'' I said, not bothering to explain further. I had expected to see Catelyn first, I hadn't even thought about walking straight into Robb's arms.

''Whose orders were that…''

''Mine.''

We both looked up at Catelyn, who I now realized was also in the tent, at the other side of a large table, which stood in the middle. Now that I had been able to tear my eyes off of Robb, I realized that there were at least six other people in the tent, and I felt myself blush a little at the thought of hugging Robb in the middle of what seemed like a battle strategy meeting.

''What is the meaning of this?'' Robb asked, his hand still lingering on the small of my back.

''I'd like to have a word with my son. Alone,'' she said, looking at the other people, who left the tent. I wasn't sure if she needed me to leave as well, but she didn't say anything about it so I assumed I had to stay.

''There was a raven. From Stannis Baratheon.''

Robb and I both looked at Catelyn, waiting for her to continue. I knew who Stannis was, he was the brother of Robert, and was now trying to get the Iron Throne in his possession, but what did that have to do with me?

''He wants to negotiate an alliance.''

''We don't negotiate with Stannis, he-''

''He said he would send an army to Winterfell if we didn't at least meet him to talk about joining forces.''

''Alright, what of it, what does that have to do with Ava?'' Robb asked, getting annoyed by the sound of his voice.

''One of his demands was that Ava… was present at that meeting.''

Robb didn't say anything, and my brow furrowed. Why did Stannis need me there? I had never even met him, how did he know about me?

''That is not going to happen.''

''Robb, I-''

''Don't you see that it is a trap, mother? Why would they ask her if it's not to have leverage over me, it-''

''I don't think this is about you, Robb. There was no mention of you in the letter. They knew about her travels to the north, and one of Stannis's spies, apparently, saw her in the castle, months ago. Before you two…'' Catelyn said, not having to finish her sentence.

''Whatever reason Stannis has to ask for her, it doesn't have to do with the fact that you have taken a liking to her.''

''She still isn't going.''

''Then Winterfell is going to be ambushed and your brothers will die,'' Catelyn said, raising her voice a little. Robb gritted his teeth and turned around, pacing back and forth.

''I don't want her to be in danger,'' he said, that rare tone of anger slipping into his voice, and I walked over to him, taking his hand in mine.

''I won't be. It is only for a negotiation, we'll have guards with us.''

''I won't be able to come with you. I can't protect you,'' he said, looking in my eyes. I gave him a warm smile.

''I'll go with your mother, we'll have guards. I'll never go anywhere by myself if they ask. Risking Winterfell, risking your brothers' lives isn't worth that.''

Robb looked down and I softly ran my fingers down his cheek, his beard tickling my skin.

''I'll go,'' I said, turning to Catelyn, who nodded at me. Her mouth was in a thin line and her eyes colder than normally, and I wondered if there had been something I'd done wrong.

''I need to talk to you. Come with me to my tent,'' Robb said, walking passed his mother to the tent's exit.

''Robb,'' his mother said in a warning tone, and he stopped to look at her.

''I know,'' he said sombrely, before walking out, and I followed him. He lead me into a tent, which was warmer than the last one, probably because it was smaller. There were candles everywhere and the thick fabric of the tent must have kept a lot of warmth inside. I walked in and took my cloak off, looking around. Here too lay a map on a table, where Robb had probably thought out strategies late at night, but there was also a bed, which looked exceptionally appealing at the moment.

I expected Robb to start about what he had wanted to talk about, but instead, as soon as he'd taken his cloak off, he walked over and kissed me, his hands cupping my face. I placed my hands on his chest and kissed him back, the longing that had built up in my chest now exploding as it was finally answered. Our tongues danced around each other as he deepened the kiss, a soft moan escaping from my lips. The next best thing that came up in my head was to rip his shirt off, but I was way too shy to actually do that. It was inappropriate too, given the location and circumstances we were in at the moment.

I was properly out of breath when he pulled back, allowing me to breathe while still planting soft kisses on my lips.

''You don't know how much I've missed you,'' he whispered, our foreheads touching, and I ran my hand through his thick curls.

''And I you,'' I breathed, still not recovered from the heated kiss.

''Did you receive my letters?'' he asked me, and I almost wanted to nod, but then I remembered that all the letters I had seen from him had been letters to Bran.

''You've sent me letters?'' I asked, looking up at him, and he gave me a puzzled look.

''At least a dozen,'' he said. ''You didn't receive any of them?''

I shook my head. I was thrilled to know that he had been writing me after all, but was concerned as to why I hadn't received a single one of them.

''They must have been intercepted,'' he said, as he studied my face, making me blush a little. It was as if he wanted to rediscover my every feature after having been apart for months.

''But Bran got all of his,'' I said.

'''Then they probably shot down the ravens, and sent those to Bran after they read it.''

It did sound like the only slightly logical explanation, but I was already satisfied that he had written to me.

''Now what did you want to talk to me about?'' I asked him, remembering what he had said before he took me to his tent. He took a deep breath and I knew that it was going to be something serious. He already looked miserable thinking about it and I was getting a little anxious as to what it was.

''When… we crossed the bridge that Walder Frey owns, the only way we could get over the river, it… didn't come for free. My mother went to his castle to negotiate with him, and when she came back, he had demanded several things. His son to be my personal squire, Arya will have to marry one of his sons. And… I have to marry one of his daughters.''

He looked at me, awaiting my reaction, but I couldn't give one. I looked from his eyes, to the map on the table, more staring than looking, as I replayed his words over and over in my head. He had to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters. He had to marry a random girl. He had to marry someone else.

''Ava, I…'' he said, not able to finish his sentence. I could hear the hurt in his voice, and I slowly sank down on his bed, staring at my hands.

''And you said yes,'' I softly said, more as a statement than a question.

''My mother had already agreed to it when she was there to negotiate with him. He wanted an answer right there and then. I didn't have a choice in the matter,'' he said, and I knew he wasn't trying to excuse himself. I could hear by the way he talked that he was dreading it, maybe even more so than I.

''What are you going to do?'' I asked, looking up at him, fresh tears in my eyes. The thought of him with another woman left a painful sting in my chest, as if I had been stabbed with a dagger.

''I don't know,'' he said, lightly shaking his head. ''But I won't have to marry her until the war is over. And when it is, I won't marry her,'' he said, walking over to me, and kneeling before me.

''Like I promised that we would see each other again… I promise that I will marry no other girl than you, Ava Brown.''

I had never seen him so determined before, and I brought my hand up to his face, to softly caress his cheek.

''I love you,'' I said suddenly, my eyes widening at my own words.

''And I love you,'' he said, moving up and kissing me, gently pushing me on my back, onto the soft furs of the bed. My hands found his curls and his hand slid from my side to my hip, our kiss becoming more passionate by the second. That burning desire of wanting to get rid of his close, of my close, crept up again, but before I could even decide whether or not to act on those desires, Robb pulled back and looked down at me, again with those wandering eyes.

''You're beautiful,'' he said, and I averted my eyes with a smile. I still didn't know how to respond whenever he said something like that.

''We can't do anything… can we? That's what your mother meant when you told me to follow you to your tent?'' I asked, realizing why he had stopped kissing me, or at least thinking that that was the explanation. My assumption was confirmed when he nodded, and I traced his jaw with my finger.

''We'll make it work. I know you didn't ask for this… and I know that you have to keep up pretences to win this war. And when this is all over, I will be by your side. I promise you that.''

He looked in my eyes, almost as if he was in awe, before pressing his lips to mine again, less eager this time. I wanted this moment to last forever, this moment when we were together again after what seemed a life time. A moment of peace and love in the middle of chaos and bloodshed. A moment of passion and youth, amidst old, stubborn souls who couldn't remember the fire of young love. If only that moment could have lasted forever.

* * *

_AN: Hello readers! Two chapters on one day, I know, I'm on a roll! Thank you for everyone who has reviewed so far, it helps a great deal! This is where things are going to become less and less canon, since I've decided to leave Talisa out of this fic completely (I wasn't sure about this at first), and everything around the negotiation with Stannis etcetera .So yes, this is where it really becomes a different story than the original one, but I hope you'll still like it! Until next time (:_


	8. Chapter 8

**I Am His, He Is Mine**

* * *

**Eight**

* * *

Being at the camp was worse than I thought it would be. There wasn't much I could do, since I had no knowledge of battle strategies whatsoever, so I couldn't be of any help there. I didn't know anything about any of the enemies either, so I couldn't provide any inside knowledge. I was more of a burden than anything else, especially since Robb and I weren't allowed to spend much time together. The promise Catelyn had made to Walder Frey still stood, and his men had joined the camp as well, meaning that if Robb and I were seen together, surely Frey would hear about it. And the chances that he'd like that were very slim.

It was torture having to be so close to Robb without being able to actually be _close_ to him. The only time we had shown affection for each other in public was the night I got here, and we hugged in front of a few other men and his mother, which was condoned at that point, since I wasn't aware of the agreement yet. But now that I did know, it was expected of me that I had accepted our fates, and moved on. But all I wanted was to kiss him, to feel his arms around me, to hear those words again that he'd told me in his tent, the night I got here. The words that had slipped so suddenly from my lips, and were immediately returned by him. I wanted to hear them again, just to make sure I hadn't dreamed it.

At one point it drove me so crazy that I wanted to sneak into his tent, but there was no way I could have managed to do that without being seen. During the day he was always busy doing something, and at night it would look suspicious, I couldn't find time with him alone anywhere. Not to mention the watchful eye of his mother, which always seemed to be following either him or me. I knew that when we were all still at Winterfell, she didn't mind Robb and I getting close, but now that the alliance with Frey was depending on it, she wasn't willing to take any risks. Somewhere I understood, which was why I had agreed on waiting until the war was over – with a very heavy heart – but I still got annoyed when she reminded me not to do anything without thinking. In a way, being at Winterfell had been easier than being here, where the temptation was bigger.

I had almost forgotten that there was actually a reason I was here, when Catelyn came into my tent one morning after I had woken up and eaten. I had spent more time with her than anyone else at camp, but our conversations were usually very brief and exceptionally stiff. It mostly consisted of me reading things, and occasionally asking for aid when I didn't know a word, but I could tell that she was trying to distance herself from me. Maybe, if Robb wasn't at war and he wasn't promised to another, she would have actually liked me. But I could tell that all she wanted was to keep me as far away from Robb as possible.

''We leave in a few minutes. Prepare yourself for a few hours of riding,'' she said, and left my tent again, before I could even reply. I sighed and got dressed in a simple, dark blue dress, one that I had made myself. It was plain and comfortable fitting. I put on my boots and my cloak, before walking out of the tent. The morning was crisp, and I could see my breath as I breathed out. I smiled a little at the thought of actually having to go and see Robb before we left, for strategic reasons. This was about the war, after all.

I entered the large tent where the guards had taken me that first night, and saw the same people as that evening. I gave them a glance over and nodded as a greeting, my eyes lingering on Robb. Our eyes met and I could see his lips tighten. I knew he was struggling with the same things as I was.

''Alright, again, we only want to negotiate. We'll take four guards, that should be enough. Stannis won't do anything, not while our position is so favourable. We'll just hear him out, maybe his terms won't be so bad,'' Catelyn said.

''We aren't actually forming an alliance, mother. The only reason this meeting is taking place, is for Winterfell. You hear him out, then tell him no. That's the agreement, he won't attack Winterfell that way,'' Robb replied. ''No matter what he says, don't meet his agreements.''

''I will if it means that our position comes out more positive,'' Catelyn fired back, and I understood from which side of the family Robb had gotten his determination. Robb and Catelyn looked at each other for a couple of seconds, the tension thick in the air, before Robb averted his eyes. The rest of the meeting was about other things that were happening in the war at that moment, and were lost on me. I watched Robb as he talked, explaining and listening to people, and for a moment I felt sorry. Sorry that he was so young and had to be amidst veterans, fighting a war to protect his family. It wasn't a life I wished for him, yet it was inevitable. That's what being a lord meant.

When the meeting was over, I deliberately stayed behind in the tent, hoping that everyone would leave except Robb, but I should have expected Catelyn to stay as well. She looked at me with warning eyes, and I gulped.

''We have to leave'' she said, and I looked from her to Robb, then back at her.

''I-I just… want to say goodbye. I know we'll be back by the evening, but-''

''You cannot,'' she said in a hushed tone. ''You can't be seen anymore, you know tha-''

''But there's nobody here,'' I interrupted her fiercely, knowing I probably shouldn't have.

''Young lady, this isn't a matter of discussion. I will not have us lose this war, just because of this infatuation of yours. There are things at stake, my family's lives, and I won't let anything threaten that.''

I looked at the ground. Her words stung more knowing that she was actually in the right. I knew I couldn't be with Robb for now, and the last thing I wanted to do was to sabotage the rescue of Sansa and Arya. But that didn't make it feel any less unfair.

''I'm waiting,'' Catelyn said impatiently. I uttered a soft ''bye'' to Robb and without looking up, left the tent, in fear that I would start tearing up if I looked at him. There were already two horses ready for Catelyn and I, the four guards waiting behind them on their horses, and I climbed on mine. I stared ahead until Catelyn mounted her horse as well, and a few seconds later, we were on our way to meet Stannis.

The entire journey there, nobody spoke a word. I wished that Catelyn would have at least been nice about it. I knew how much was at stake, but I would have agreed to it without her giving me the cold shoulder. It would have made it hurt less. A few times, I was on the verge of saying something. Something completely different than battle techniques or the negotiation with Stannis, or my situation with Robb. Something that could take both our minds off of it. But she'd probably tell me ''not to distract her with pointless talk'' or something like that, so I simply stayed silent.

The ache in my muscles had lessened over the last few days, but it only took less than an hour of riding for it to return, and I wished I'd had more practice with riding horses before going on hour long rides. I had wanted to go riding when I was at camp, but I'd been told that it was better not to leave the camp by myself, out of safety.

I was glad when the banners of Stannis's sigil came into view, in the middle of a large, open field. A good meeting place, without any trees or bushes nearby to hide in. They too, were with a small amount of people. As we approached them, I saw that there were six. Four guards, a fifth man, whom I assumed was Stannis, and a woman dressed in all red. As we approached them, I couldn't help why the woman was dressed like that. She definitely didn't look like a commoner, nor a lady or a princess. I waved it away, knowing I would probably find out soon.

We came to a halt when we were only a couple of meters away from them, and we all remained on our horses.

''Lady Stark, I'm pleased to see you've decided to meet us. And that you've brought what I asked for,'' Stannis spoke, his eyes landing on me. I was tempted to open my mouth and ask what he even needed me here for, but I knew that Catelyn wouldn't like it if I did, and I didn't want to make her like me even less.

''Yes I have. Now tell me what you ish to accomplish with this meeting.''

''I know your son doesn't want the Iron Throne. If he meets my terms, we can join forces. You and I both know that combined, our armies will wipe out all the other ones. I will sit on the throne, and you can go back to your normal lives,'' Stannis spoke.

''What about the North?'' Catelyn asked.

''What about it?''

''Robb is fighting for the freedom of the North, as an independent country. He will be king. Just not on the Iron Throne.''

Stannis chuckled and looked at the lady on the horse next to him, who smiled lightly and met his gaze.

''If he thinks I will give up a part of the land to him, he can forget that. I am Robert's brother, I am the rightful heir of the Seven Kingdoms, the whole of it. Not Westeros, minus the North. But if he's lucky and does as he is told, I might name him Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North, and expand that region a little further south, if he likes.''

''Those things meet none of the causes he is fighting for. We don't want a larger piece of land, we want an independent kingdom.''

''If you don't agree, there will be no place for you to go home to, Lady Stark.''

I could see Catelyn's body tighten, and I too got frustrated. He said he would leave Winterfell alone if Catelyn came to the meeting with me, and here we were. He wasn't a man of his word.

''Let's make a new deal,'' the woman in red said, and all eyes shifted to her.

''Robb Stark can have his independent kingdom, if…'' I gazed at Stannis for a second, whom was also looking at the woman, with a slightly worried expression. It was clear that they hadn't agreed on what she was about to say.

''If?'' Catelyn said impatiently.

''If you hand us Ava Brown.''

All eyes went on me, and I gulped. All this time I had felt as good as invisible, merely standing on the side-lines as their conversation went down, but I was suddenly the centre of it. Then I realized what the woman had just said, and fear slipped into my veins. I didn't know why they wanted me, but I did know that Catelyn wanted me as far away from Robb as possible, and this might just make that job a whole lot easier.

''What could you possibly want with the girl? She's nothing more than a maid,'' Catelyn said, and I was thankful she wasn't just handing me over like that.

''That's what you think,'' the lady in red smirked, and she looked from Catelyn to me.

''Does the name Vaelcrest mean anything to you?'' she asked. I shook my head. I had never heard of that name before, and it didn't help me understand what they wanted me for either.

''How do we know you're not lying,'' Stannis said, glaring at me. I wanted to open my mouth again, to tell him that I wasn't a liar, but the red lady beat me to it.

''The child is telling the truth. I can see it. No matter, there will be more than enough time to explain everything to her.''

I gulped and my instinct was to turn around and flee, to put as many miles between Stannis and the mysterious lady as possible. I didn't want to go with them, I had no idea what or who Vaelcrest was, and who knows what they wanted me for. Maybe it was just to torture me for information. But I had a feeling I wasn't going to find out unless I actually went with them.

''_If_ I give her to you. And I'm not planning on doing so,'' Catelyn spoke up, calming me down just a little. I hadn't expected Catelyn to refuse. In fact, I thought she would have been glad to see me go. But she looked determined, the same determination I sometimes saw in Robb's eyes.

''You do know what that means, don't you? You're putting everything at stake… for the sakes of her,'' Stannis said, nodding his head towards me.

''I have no reason to trust you. You tell me that if I don't agree, Winterfell will be no more. A few days ago, I only had to show up to this meeting to keep my home standing. You change the rules whenever you want, Stannis Baratheon, how do I know you won't change them after I hand her over?''

''You don't. You'll have to trust me on that,'' he said, and the two looked at each other, almost as if they were in a silent argument.

''Have you made your choice, lady Stark?'' the red woman said.

''You want me to make a decision now?'' Catelyn asked, looking at her. We had both expected to have at least a day's time to think about it, ask Robb and the others what to do next. Now, Catelyn had to make a decision again. Like she had when she agreed to Walter Frey's terms. I looked at the reins in my hands, ready to be handed over. At least I would help Robb free the North. One good thing I could contribute to.

''We'll find other allies. This meeting is over, Stannis,'' Catelyn said, and she looked at me, giving me a short nod in the direction we had come from. I was surprised, my eyes probably wide, but I didn't question it.

''You'll regret this, Catelyn Stark!'' Stannis made sure to let us know as we turned and started our way back. Relief coursed through my veins, and for a couple of minutes I let it sink in that Catelyn had probably saved my life. We left the clearing and went on our way back through the woods. I wanted to speak up and thank her, but before I got the chance, a dozen – probably more – riders appeared on horses from all angles. Within seconds, two of our guards had been knocked off of their horses, making horrible gurgling sounds as their lungs got pierced with swords. The next thing I knew, a cloth was pulled over my head and I too was pulled off of my horse. I was put in irons and lifted on another horse, all in a matter of seconds, and Catelyn's voice became more and more distant as I heard her call out my name.

* * *

When the cloth was pulled from my head, I was in a dark room. It looked like a dungeon of sorts; rough rocks for walls and dim light because of torches. Not to mention the iron bars that made it clear that the small room I was in, was a prison cell. I looked at the person who had pulled the cloth off of my head, but his face was shielded by a helmet. He simply stepped out of the cell, closed the door and walked away without a word.

After a few minutes, the lady in red came into view, slowly walking to my cell. I got up, as I had been sitting on the floor, and stepped in front of the bars.

''You really are sore losers, aren't you? Can't get what you want by asking, so you just take it without honour? You're nothing more than a bunch of children,'' I said bravely, momentarily forgetting that these people would probably kill me in an instant. But the woman merely smiled at me.

''Such spirit. You're everything I expected you to be.''

''How do you know me?'' I asked, intrigued again by how she even knew about my name and existence.

''That is not the question that needs to be answered right now. The question is, do you know who you are?''

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

''I'm not in the mood to play at your stupid riddles. What do you want with me?'' I asked, getting frustrated.

''It isn't a riddle. It is a real questions. Who do you think you are, child?''

''I am Ava Brown,'' I snapped, wanting to move on from the question already.

''Wrong,'' the woman said, a small smile on her lips. I stared at her. I didn't understand. I was Ava Brown, I had grown up with my mother and father and five siblings. That's who I was.

''You don't know the first thing about me,'' I spat, turning and walking to the back of the cell. If I couldn't hit her, which I really wanted to do at that moment, I didn't want to look upon her face either.

''Your name is not Ava Brown. Your name is Ava Vaelcrest.''

I turned back to her after a few seconds, a frown on my brows. What was she blabbering about now? I had never seen this lady before, in my village they had never spoken of a lady in red either. There was no way she could have known about my upbringing, and so there was no way she knew who I was. Which meant she was lying.

''My name is Ava Brown,'' I said determinedly. ''I come fro-''

''North of the Wall. Your mother died when you were a baby, you were brought to the village you grew up in to lead a normal life until you were ready to face your destiny. When you started showing signs, however, you disappeared and we've looked for you. When you ended up in Winterfell, my people notified me of 'Ava Brown' resurfacing in Winterfell. It took a little planning before we made our move, but here we are.''

I took in what she had just told me. I still found it all very hard to believe, but technically is was possible what she told me. If I had only been a baby when I was put in my 'new' mother's arms…

''Even if that's true, what of it? I have a different mother and father, what does that matter to you?''

''It means everything to me,'' the lady said, her eyes staring into mine, eerily still and wide spread, making her look a bit mad.

''You see, Ava, you, are a Child of Ice.''

* * *

_AN: Hello lovely readers! I know this update is a lot later than the usual once, and for that my apologies. I've had a lot going on in the last few days and haven't had the time to write a lot in one go. But it is here finally, and I hope you've enjoyed it! I know the ending might leave a lottt of questions, but you're just gonna have to sit tight and wait until the next chapters to find out everything! For now, have a good day and it is almost time for the new season! So excited for the first episode tomorrow. Until next time! (:_


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